Where did all the M.D. Residencies go?

[leadsled]

Unbelievable! Of the 3462 DO graduates this year more than half didn't take a DO residency. Of course MD's are not permitted to take DO residencies.


PAAO - Announcements

AOA Announces Results of Match
Results are in for the 2008 AOA Osteopathic Match! Approximately 38% of osteopathic students and previous graduates matched into an osteopathic residency or internship position, not including the post-match scramble, which last year brought an additional 396 trainees into AOA-approved programs. A total of 1,626 individuals participated in the 2008 Match: 1,353 successfully matched; 273 did not match; 226 osteopathic graduates will serve in the military. Of 3,462 total graduating osteopathic students, 1,672 did not participate in this year's Match. The AOA intern/resident registration program includes 2,778 approved positions and 2,312 funded positions, 959 of which are unfilled as of today's match. Learn more about the Match on DO-Online.

[spaatz]

I fear that this trend does not bode well for IMGs in the future. With AMD's and D.O.'s getting preference in many if not most Post Graduate programs in the U.S. over IMG's. For some reason I think that the SGU grads will hold their own, since from strictly anecdotal experience they seem to be quite well regarded by many docs in the United States. Fear hard times coming for the rest. Or as Bob Dylan said "It's a hard rain......gonna fall".

[leadsled]

It's too bad the AOA won't allow IMG's to fill up those 959 AOA slots that went unfilled.

[butters]

Wasn't the original intention of DO schools to provide primary care physicians? So doesn't it defeat the purpose of the original intention if DO's are entering Orthopedics, Radiology, Derm, etc. etc.

And really, it's a shame that all of those AOA positions go unfilled. Really unfair to allow DO's to get MD residencies but the reverse is not the same.

[Scott1981]

trust me, the DO programs that go empty are not happy about this trend either.

[spaatz]

Wasn't the original intention of DO schools to provide primary care physicians? So doesn't it defeat the purpose of the original intention if DO's are entering Orthopedics, Radiology, Derm, etc. etc.

And really, it's a shame that all of those AOA positions go unfilled. Really unfair to allow DO's to get MD residencies but the reverse is not the same.

The answer is no, it does not defeat their original purpose. D.O.'s established their first specialty boards around the time of the First World War. Otherwise how on earth could Osteopathic hospitals have operated from 1910-1970 (approximately the time that D.O.'s were "shut out" of M.D. institutions) without specialists for more complex cases. In my own home school of KCUMC in Kansas City, there were surgical, Radiology, OB/GYN and ENT residencies in operation from 1916 onward. My family have been D.O.'s (including myself for the last 25 years), and from that school for the last 84 years. Go to the AOA website and follow the chronology of Osteopathic Medicine there. The idea that D.O.'s have been all G.P's is a myth that should be laid to rest by anyone who cares to research a few facts. And no, there is no possibility ever that IMG's will enter AOA residencies. The reason being that those IMG's will not have the foundation in Osteopathic Philosophy needed to complete them. A fragile reason indeed, but thats the one given.

[spaatz]

Wasn't the original intention of DO schools to provide primary care physicians? So doesn't it defeat the purpose of the original intention if DO's are entering Orthopedics, Radiology, Derm, etc. etc.

And really, it's a shame that all of those AOA positions go unfilled. Really unfair to allow DO's to get MD residencies but the reverse is not the same.

Life is inherently unfair.If something turns out fair in this life it is usually by accident. Talk about life being fair would hold little solace to say...the 6 million lost in the Holocaust.

[rokshana]

Life is inherently unfair.If something turns out fair in this life it is usually by accident. Talk about life being fair would hold little solace to say...the 6 million lost in the Holocaust.

your previous post was very educational and insightful...why destroy that with such hyperbole?


and the biopsychosocial philosophy that is becoming more and more prevalant in allopathic medicine is basically the same as the osteopathic philosophy....if DOs want everyone to believe that there is minimal difference between DO and MD (and thus do MD residencies) then they need to concede that an MD the student can do a DO residency (and the OMM/osteo issues can be handled in residency as well) OR if there is SUCH a inherent difference, then DOs certainly should not be in MD residencies- since it is so different in philosophy...really they shouldn't have it both ways....

just goes to show you the AOA is just a bit more politically savvy as a lobby group than the AMA.

[butters]

The answer is no, it does not defeat their original purpose. D.O.'s established their first specialty boards around the time of the First World War. Otherwise how on earth could Osteopathic hospitals have operated from 1910-1970 (approximately the time that D.O.'s were "shut out" of M.D. institutions) without specialists for more complex cases. In my own home school of KCUMC in Kansas City, there were surgical, Radiology, OB/GYN and ENT residencies in operation from 1916 onward. My family have been D.O.'s (including myself for the last 25 years), and from that school for the last 84 years. Go to the AOA website and follow the chronology of Osteopathic Medicine there. The idea that D.O.'s have been all G.P's is a myth that should be laid to rest by anyone who cares to research a few facts. And no, there is no possibility ever that IMG's will enter AOA residencies. The reason being that those IMG's will not have the foundation in Osteopathic Philosophy needed to complete them. A fragile reason indeed, but thats the one given.

Yes, I stand to be corrected. I did some reading up on the history of Osteopathic Medicine and it seems that DO's have been practicing Radiology and Surgery for a number of years.

But traditionally they have been trained in specific D.O. Residencies, not M.D. residencies. There has actually been a long battle between M.D.'s and D.O's with DO's wanting to retain their identitiy (esp with the conversion of the College of Osteopathic Physicians in Los Angeles into UC Irvine School of Medicine). If this identity as a DO is so important, why enter an MD residency? Why not continue the DO specific movement?

I met several DO's on the interview trail and most were in concurment that only 2-3% of DO's actually practice Osteopathic philosophy, including manipulation.

You are right indeed...life is not fair. But that doesn't mean changes should not occur to make it more fair to the majority. Allowing MD's to enter DO residencies would benefit the programs that go unfilled and the physicians who do not get residencies. And yes, IMG's and US MD's not having enough training in osteopathic philosophy is a fragile reason. Most of the training received to become a practicing physician is done in Residency, not medical school.

[stephew]

for all the handwringing, imgs had one of the best years yet in matching. the drama!