you will likely regret your decision. DO vs MD should never be the question you ask. It's US vs non-US that matters much more. Going carib is practically cheating your way to becoming a doctor. I would NEVER give up the opportunity to go to a US school.

__________________
There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent, or hinder, or control a firm resolve of a determined soul.

"I've got a degree in Homeopathic Medicine!....You've got a degree in baloney" -Futurama

"...you should take some echinacea, or St. John's Wort...Or a big fat placebo. It's all the same crap" -Futurama

You made your decision and that's fine, but why would you be restricted to practicing in GA if you went to a DO school? DOs are licensed to practice medicine in all 50 states.

You're right in saying not many people in georgia would know what DO stood for before PCOM-GA opened their campus, but so what? When you're a cardiologist and get called into the hospital at 4am for a consult for a patient who had chest pains, you've just grabbed yourself a patient for your practice. Do you think the patient cares or says to the hospital staff "no way, get me a real doctor...i'm not talking to a DO"? Pre-meds really need to start thinking more indepth about the decisions they make. If you simply want the MD behind your name, then fine, that's your decision. If you think OMM is 100% pure garbage, then go MD. But to say you're staying away from DO schools because some people might not know what DO stands for, you need to ask yourself "so what?" What are you going to do when you prescribe a medication for hypertension and the patient asks you what it does? Are you going to tell him "sorry, i don't like to answer questions"? No, in about 20 seconds you'll explain how the medication works, the same way you would say that the DO stemmed from a different philosophy but has now merged with the allopathic practice of medicine. On another note, I'll tell you in states with established osteopathic schools (new york, new jersey, michigan), there is widespread knowledge of who/what DOs are. Work hard and if you're smart enough you'll achieve your goal regardless of where you go. Me personally, I'd rather handle the stress of medical school in the US with my family, friends, and a familiar culture surrounding me.

Take the DO degree, it is a far better route than going overseas for your education. Do not underestimate the potential stress of living in a foreign country, especially a third world country. It is a big adjustment for most Americans to live overseas in modern places like Western Europe and Australia, its even harder in a third world country.

In they eyes of most in the medical community, Osteopathic physicians are essentially equal to their MD counterparts, more so than IMGs.

And the point of pulling up a 3 month old post is?

Wow! People seemed to really get their undies in a twist over the (correct) assertion that there are separate osteopathic hospitals in some states.

There absolutely are,friends. Google it, for goodness sake! Just type in "osteopathic hospital" and see how many hospitals come up. Pontiac OSTEOPATHIC Hospital, Garden City OSTEOPATHIC Hospital, Allentown OSTEOPATHIC Hospital... etc. There was a Maine Osteopathic before Maine Medical Center took it over and shut it down (jerks).

Granted, this is rather less common than in the "old days" when DOs had to create their own institutions because the allopathic docs were being complete knuckleheads and denying osteopathic physicians the right to practice. However, it is not in any way disparaging to state that there are some separate osteopathic hospitals. DOs are not limited to practice or train at these institutions, although many do... but they exist.

No need to be hypersensitive if you are a DO student -- you are getting a great medical education. Just please make sure you know what you are talking about before you jump all over someone for making a truthful statement!

__________________
MS (Health Sciences) - Brigham Young University @ Provo, UT
BA (German Language & Literature) - University of Oregon @ Eugene, OR
Navy Hospital Corpsman (Fleet Marine Force) - 2nd Marine Division / 4th Marine Division

"Pains nor toils nor trials heeding, and in heaven's own time succeeding..."
Wm. E. Hickson (1803-1870)

Do a search, there is an endless debate on this. A few simple comparisons though. DO: a lot of people do not know what DO is, easier to get financial aid, you will live in a place with running clean water, you don't need a passport. PCOM GA is in the suburbs of Atlanta a modern city. SGU: MD degree after four years, everyone knows what an MD is, foreign graduate will need higher USMLE scores than a US grad.