When students are planning to apply to BS/MD or medical school, I often get asked about whether or not osteopathic programs are worth it. Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) are two distinct paths to becoming a physician in the United States. Both types of doctors are fully licensed to diagnose and treat patients, prescribe medication, and perform surgery, but they have some differences in their training and approach to patient care. As an osteopathic physician, here are some of the differences that I experienced.
All views are my own and do not reflect those of any institution or organization.
GPA and MCAT requirements
For premed students, the GPA and MCAT for osteopathic programs are generally more forgiving than that of allopathic schools. The average GPA and MCAT for AACOMAS (DO) matriculants is GPA 3.54 and MCAT 504. In comparison, the GPA and MCAT for AMCAS (MD) matriculants is GPA 3.75 and MCAT 512. Additionally, osteopathic schools are more forgiving and tend to look at applications more holistically, so strong premed activities could potentially help admissions committees overlook lower GPA and MCAT scores.
Similarly, the GPA and SAT requirements for high school seniors considering BS/DO programs tend to be relaxed. They are significantly below the requirements needed for BS/MD programs. Some programs, such as LECOM, do not even require MCAT scores. However, the premed program prior to matriculating to the medical school is not any less rigorous. In fact, NYIT BS/DO is known to have a high attrition rate, meaning the majority of their BS/DO students never enter medical school. This is usually due to students’ inability to meet the GPA or MCAT requirements.
Read More: Low GPA and MCAT to MD Acceptance
Similar, but Different Curriculums
MDs traditionally follow the allopathic model of medicine, which focuses on the treatment of disease symptoms using medication, surgery, and other conventional methods. On the other hand, DOs are trained in osteopathic medicine, which emphasizes a holistic approach to patient care, taking into account the mind, body, and spirit. A big emphasis in the DO curriculum is osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a hands-on technique used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. This is not to say that DOs do not believe in medications or surgery. Rather, OMT is meant to be used in adjunction to medications or surgeries; it does not replace them.
In both types of medical schools, students will learn about body systems, pharmacology, microbiology, pathology, physiology and clinical practice. The main difference is that DOs get an additional 200 hours of OMT. MD programs tend to be more researched-focused as well.
Required Exams: USMLE vs COMLEX
While the training paths and philosophies differ, both MDs and DOs must pass the same licensing exams and meet the same standards for practicing medicine. In medical school, MD students are required to take USMLE Step 1 and Step 2. The DO licensing exam equivalent is COMLEX. Both exams test similar concepts, but COMLEX has more osteopathic vignettes and questions about OMT.
Prior to the ACGME (allopathic accrediting board) merger, competitive specialties/ residency programs would require USMLE. COMLEX was mainly used for osteopathic residency programs, which were accredited through the AOA. Now that the ACGME merger has been completed, most programs take both USMLE and COMLEX. However, the traditionally allopathic programs still tend to favor USMLE scores; some even require a higher percentile on COMLEX compared to USMLE. Therefore, while it is not necessary for DO students to take both exams, many students often feel pressured to take both COMLEX and USMLE. While MD students may take only 2 exams, DO students may take up to 4 exams. For reference, each exam is about 8-9 hours long. From my experience, the COMLEX exam felt more convoluted and vague in its questions, whereas USMLE gave more direct questions.
Matching Competitive Specialties
The ACGME and AOA merger was intended to eliminate MD/DO bias among the medical fields through a unified accreditation system. While DO students were able to apply to the allopathic programs in the past, competitive specialities and programs typically favored MD candidates. However, in recent years, more and more DOs have been able to successfully match competitive specialities, including dermatology, urology, and orthopedic surgery. The merger now allows MD students to apply to traditionally osteopathic residency programs. Ultimately, the matching landscape has changed quite significantly, but overall a lot of my classmates matched into very competitive programs.
Professional Stigmas
One of the concerns I hear a lot is DOs are not taken seriously as physicians. This is completely false. Once you’re in the real world (outside of medical school), MD’s and DO’s are equivalent. My patients have never questioned whether my degree was an MD or DO, nor have I ever had anyone refuse to see me because I was a DO. As long as a physician has a medical degree, patients usually only care about seeing a doctor who is qualified.
Another question that I have seen is whether DOs get paid less than their MD counterparts. The short answer is no. All physicians are compensated based on their specialty and type of practice.
Final Thoughts
When I was a premed student, I struggled with the MCAT. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to now be an osteopathic physician. Osteopathy has overcome a lot of stigmas and I believe these stigmas will continue to be improved in the passing years. Admittedly, I don’t use OMT in my training, but my osteopathic education has allowed me to care for my patients more holistically. As many premedical students may question if DO school is right for them, an osteopathic education can still open doors into a fruitful medical career.
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