Medecine forum
History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
lanod
08-08-2007 03:56
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There has been a discussion going on about changing the title of DOs to some other title in order to more closely resemble the title of MD. Here is a link that talks about the history of DOs in CA that is related to this discussion.
To summarize, in the 1960s, after much political upheaval, the California Osteopathic Association merged with the California Medical Association. This caused the College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, which was a DO school in Irvine, to change to the UC Irvine school of medicine. Interestingly, it also allowed DOs to become MDs for the price of $65. The article goes on to describe the political struggles for DOs in CA and their eventual success. This just goes to show that a merger of the AOA and AMA is possible.
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
joyride
08-08-2007 04:03
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"The Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC) was created in 1962 from the ashes of a medical professional decimated by a remarkable sequence of political actions previously unimagined in California history. In 1960, California was home to over 2,600 D.O.s, 59 successful osteopathic hospitals and a respected college in Los Angeles. The California Osteopathic Association (COA) was the largest state osteopathic association in the nation.
By 1961, a combination of personal ambition, power plays, and political intrigue had undermined the state?s entire osteopathic medical structure. Proposition 22, climaxing a series of M.D.-D.O. merger negotiations, appeared before the California voters on November 6, 1962. By amending the Osteopathic Initiative Act of 1922, the referendum removed the Board of Osteopathic Examiners power to issue licenses to new applicants. It also terminated licensure by reciprocity, and would have closed down the BOE when the number of remaining D.O.s dwindled to 40.
Over 2,000 D.O.s chose or were forced to buy a M.D. degree for $65. The College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (COPS) ? now the UC Irvine School of Medicine-was turned over to the M.D.s for one dollar. The 59 osteopathic hospitals disappeared.
Less than 500 physicians chose to retain the D.O. degree and since no new licenses could be granted, the profession in California was supposed to wither and die. Amid the smoke and ruins of the once proud profession, the stubborn streak in a few dedicated D.O.s prevailed. One night in a dimly lit underground Los Angeles Italian restaurant, a group of 35 D.O.s secretly met to form a new osteopathic organization. Although it may sound melodramatic today, the professional pressures were so great that the group dare not let it be known that there was organized opposition. Richard E. Eby, D.O. was appointed the president of the new organization and dispatched to the AOA House of Delegates in Miami, Florida to plead California?s cause. Within an hour of Dr. Eby?s presentation, the delegates voted to charter a new society in California ? OPSC.
In 1968, eight osteopathic medical students applied for California licenses before the Board of Medical Examiners and were refused. The eight then applied to the Board of Osteopathic Examiners and were refused because this board had no authority to issue new licenses. As a result, the eight students led by Dr. Ted D?Amico filed suit charging that Proposition 22 didn?t affect D.O.?s licensed prior to 1962 and wrongfully deprived newer D.O.s of the right to practice medicine in California. Six years later, on March 19, 1974, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the provisions of Proposition 22 regarding merger and the inability of the BOE to issue licenses were unconstitutional.
By the end of 1974, 664 new licenses to practice osteopathic medicine in California had been granted. Since then, the osteopathic medical profession has steadily grown and developed throughout the state. In the past quarter century, OPSC has sponsored over 25 pieces of legislation to recognize and protect osteopathic physicians including state law making it illegal to discriminate against D.O.s in any professional or medical manner. OPSC has also prevented over 250 measures which would have seriously affected the way osteopathic physicians practice from becoming law.
Today, OPSC is a strong and important member of California?s health care provider system. Supported by over 1,500 members, OPSC provides a wide range of services and benefits for members and consumers."
     
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
ivan
08-08-2007 04:17
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I've also read recently where the W.H.O is expanding the realm of D.O.'s as well. It seems the WHO is beginning in the middle east and intends to expand the world wide rights to practice abroad with full medical rights to those osteopaths whom are educated in the U.S., their intention is to institute the full medical education of U.S. D.O.'s to other institutions abroad by incorporating our osteopathic medical scool plan of study. I believe Egypt, is the first to grant full medical licensure to D.O.'s who studied and completed all their requirements in the U..S. Most of the D.O. schools abroad only focus on the manipulation component of study and do not provide the full clinical study of current U.S. D.O. schools. This will eventually be a major benefit to those osteopaths who want to practice in other countries.
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
keane
08-08-2007 04:22
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I have a question about this.
If you graduate with a DO what is the process to declare yourself as MD?
Do people really do this? Is it exclusive to CA? Or other states?
Ive read back when this began there was some $65 fee you just pay and you get a new diploma?
Anyone who has done this let me know.
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
hooligan
08-08-2007 04:29
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As in the article, the process of a DO changing to an MD only happened in CA during the 1960s for the $65 fee. Since then, it has not occured and DOs can no longer change to MDs.
I read on some thread awhile back that DOs can get an MD by doing this caribbean program while in DO school. Currently, this appears to be the only way to get an MD as a DO.
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
jedi
08-08-2007 04:35
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Ive also read on the forums about people "declaring" themselves MD.
There was some residency thread i read where the people were using MD as a name but coming from osteopathic schools. So somewhere it must still be going on.
I read about that Carribean program. Seems like a scam really. When i see Stanford or Harvard offering similar programs ill have a look. From what i remember the Carribean one is a web-based program that is supposed to last 1 year.
Ill keep researching. You are probably right, i just saw those residents and got me thinking.
Sometimes if you look at websites for residency programs, they will list DOs as MDs. Generally, this is just a written error on their part. It is illegal to say you're an MD if you're a DO and if you know any DO that is doing that, they're doing it illegally.
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
ciara
08-08-2007 04:42
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Why don't all osteopathic medical schools just become allopathic medical schools? (Or vice versa, but it's easier to switch to MD since it's universally recognized as "the" medical degree.) I don't see why there needs to be any distinction between DO and MD. Both do the same job, and I get the impression that OMT is not really used in practice. I had a DO PCP who dressed in a white coat, did a physical exam on me, and addressed himself as a doctor. I did not notice any difference except for the DO on his business card. Why is there still this distinction? I hear that osteopathic schools have a different philosophy, about holistic medicine, emphasis on primarcy care... I think those distinctions are outdated. There are many allopathic schools that focus on primary care, such as U of Washington, Oregon Health Sciences, etc. Almost all of the allopathic schools I've heard specifically about teach students to consider patients as a whole, in their social contexts, etc. To me there is no real distinction between the two schools and I don't see why they are distinct with two different degrees.
Wont happen, because the AACOM would lose control and they are not willing to give up control over their schools to the LCME/AMA.
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
estralla
08-08-2007 04:53
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if you decide that you want to do DO then you should be able to put up with what comes with DO profession.
I am a DO.
I have friends who are DOs and they feel inadequate about being a DO.
When I was in school they were pushing for adding some MD like Title and I thought that looked so ridiculous.....
What I have seen is if you feel inadequate in any degree you are confused about the reason you are in that profession.
I am very proud to be a DO and I am very confident.
Some MDs have asked me many times, why I went DO since they see that I had all the credentials to attend an IVY League MD school.
These kind of questions came from people like director of ophthalmology programs who works with me and other CT surgeon. And I always tell them
I only applied to DO and I love what I do...
People who tried to use that MD DO difference is usually who feel pretty insecure about themselves.
When I was doing general surgery residency, I was rotating in a Level I trauma center pretty much run by MD residents. When I was on call with my senior PGY4 or 5...once they asked me hey Jacob do you know how to put a chest tube..and I used to scratch my head for a moment I did few...why do you want me to put it???? So they used to think I would do like a med student in placing some chest tubes. And in like good 5 minutes i would slam two chest tubes on both sides of chest to drain a hemothorax and I used love doing it really fast like in front of like 12 people all members of trauma team... Then I could see the satisfaction from my chiefs and attendings...And, instantly you earn your wings of respect....and I used to love speeding doing these procedures...teaching the medical student who were assisting me......
Then the chief was telling me..."Jacob when i am oncall for trauma you run the whole thing....only call me if you have some problems and he used to go to sleep."
On another time, me and my attending went to see a patient looks like her abdomen was very distended with some gray discoloration of flanks possible intraabdominal hemorrhage with hypotension...then the attending asking me to run a central line and me like a good slave I used to the central like in 3 minutes...and he looked very pleased to about my ability to do procedures....to resuscitate patients...
If you have time to worry about your Degree......
devote more of your precious time in reading and being a better physician.
I dont need to hide that I am a DO....
I work on a daily basis to improve my skills and my knowledge and let me say this if you are good there is no limits on what you can do.....you can help many patients.
be proud of who you are....
tired of those guys out there with small perspective in life...
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
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Re: History in CA of DOs to MDs, DO and MD association merger, etc. |
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