CCFP-EM subspecialty

[Guest leviathan]

Hey guys,

 

I've been playing around with the idea of going to an osteopathic medical school in the US, with intentions of returning after and doing an FM residency in Canada. I'm wondering if anyone has any idea whether or not having a DO degree from the US would limit my ability to do the CCFP-EM program after completing my FM residency? What factors are used to select physicians for this program? (Dr. Sahsi, are you still around on these boards?)

[Guest DrSahsi]

Zzzz... *urk* huh? What? Me? Oh... right...

 

I don't know the path by which you can go from a US DO degree to a canadian medical residency. As of September 2003, the CPSO recognizes Doctors of Osteopathy, and the communique I read mentions that they may have access to the MCCQE, as well as CCFP certification (at that time, there were no Royal College exams open to DOs).

 

I have not met anyone to date who has gotten a CCFP residency position, let alone a CCFP-EM R3 year, by this route. My suspicion is that no such path exists, but if anyone else has contrary information, I'd love to hear it.

 

Why osteopathy?

 

- Rupinder

[Guest leviathan]

Hi, Dr. S,

 

Thanks for the quick reply! I have read a lot about osteopathic medicine lately and I liked the idea of receiving a formal medical education along with learning osteopathic techniques for musculoskeletal injuries. The more knowledge the better, I guess.

 

I received info from some Canadian DO students that say you can now match into the first round of CaRMS with a DO degree from the US, although not all provinces recognize the USMLE/COMLEX exams yet so you might have to take the MCCQE first.

 

I obviously have no idea what specialty I'll end up choosing, but setting up a family practice somewhere and doing extra shifts in an ED sounds at a first glance like something I'd like to do...now the problem is whether or not I'll be at a disadvantage if I went the DO route. I know you said you're not aware of any DO graduates in the CCFP-EM program, but is that because of the relative scarcity of these graduates, or because applicants are looked upon negatively for not having an MD.

[Guest DrSahsi]

I think both factors are in play. Not only are these DO graduates scarce, but given limited availability of residency spots most would lean toward giving them to applicants with more familiar credentials.

 

The residencies you're looking at will aim to add training and experience to the established knowledge base of an MD, not a DO. I think (purely my opinion) that a DO will put you at an educational as well as strategic disadvantage for the career path you're looking to do. My suggestion would be to go the usual route for your CCFP, then consider an R3 year in sports medicine +/- EM. You can always keep an open mind and try to incorporate osteopathic techniques when treating patients with MSK injuries... but there's a lot more out there. ;^)

[Guest moo]

If you can't get into an MD school in North America, a DO degree is the next best thing. (Much better than a MD from overseas as you can't match into the first round in anything.)

 

I'm fairly certain you'll be able to get an FP residency. However, I believe only in Ontario will you be able to match into the first round but only for FP.

 

Don't limit your career options by going DO unless you are sure you want to FP. As for getting into the EM year after, if you do well in your residency, I don't think it'll be a problem.

[Guest leviathan]

Thanks for the help guys.

 

I'm not 100% set on FP for obvious reasons that I haven't even spent a minute in clinical clerkships for any specialty, so I don't know *what* I want. I guess based on what has been said here, I will probably just go the MD route and avoid any risks involved.

 

As for your (Dr. Sahsi) comment of being at an educational disadvantage with a DO: Just going by what I've heard from Americans, the DO program provides equal education in medicine to an MD but with the addition of osteopathic manipulative medicine so unless people are not being entirely truthful, then I don't think that is a factor.

[Guest moo]

The DO degree is equivalent legally and professionally in the US, on paper only. Many of the higher end specialties (most surgical subspecialties) are anti-DO. I say this because I've seen DOs discriminated against in the US when scores and grades wise they are more competitive than MDs. Even in anesthesia, a fairly DO-friendly specialty, the DO candidates I've met have told me they've been told by certain programs that they don't take DOs. Like I said before, go DO only if you are 100 percent certain you want FP. But an MD school should be your priority as you won't be shut out of anything.

[Guest leviathan]

Moo,

 

Thanks for the info, I'll keep that in mind. I was hearing all of the pro-DO talk from none other than DOs and DO students, so maybe there was a bit of bias in their opinions.