Why did I choose to become an osteopathic physician?
This is one of my most asked questions, so I figured it was time for a blog post about it!
I grew up surrounded by osteopaths. My dad and grandfather are both DOs (doctors of osteopathy), so I got to learn about the osteopathic philosophy from an early age. I remember seeing the profound effect that they had on their patients. Throughout high school and college I shadowed in my dad’s office (he is a pulmonologist/sleep medicine specialist who is quadruple board certified AKA a genius). So many patients would tell me that “Dr. Vasile saved my life” and that “he is the best doctor I’ve ever had.” It meant a lot to me that my dad not only treats people medically, but also takes the time to truly understand patients’ needs, even if it means going out of his way. I believe that his actions truly embody the osteopathic philosophy.
We focus on learning not only medical treatments, but also on preventive medicine. Many diseases can be prevented by leading a healthier lifestyle. We learn that there is a connection between the “mind, body, and spirit” in a patient. Osteopathic medicine emphasizes the interrelated unity of all systems in the body. As osteopathic physicians, we learn from the beginning of our training how to communicate effectively with patients. We also have hands on contact from the start of medical school, so we become very comfortable taking histories and performing physical exams.
The CNS and musculoskeletal systems work together, and we believe that we can treat or improve certain internal problems by manipulating the outside of the body. Some cool things we can do are: clear up sinuses during a cold, treat migraines, carpel tunnel, pain, and even get rid of hiccups! Using OMT, a DO can used gentle pressure, stretching, and/or resistance to move muscles and joints in the body. A lot of times we use OMM in combination with traditional medicine. To be honest, I don’t use OMM too much in the field of dermatology, but it is nice being able to treat friends or family members if they need it!
FYI:
We are fully licensed physicians in the U.S. and can do everything that MD physicians can do.
OMM/OMT are interchangeable terms.
Classwork: We take the same classes as MD medical students during our first two years of medical school, we just learn a cool extra technique called osteopathic manipulative medicine. OMM courses are an extra 300-500 hours aside from other basic science classes during our first and second years.
Matching as a DO: A common misconception is that osteopathic medical students are not able to match into competitive specialties. This is completely false! Over half of my medical school class at PCOM matched into ACGME (MD) residencies in the year 2017. We had people enter almost every field of medicine, including dermatology, primary care, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and OB/Gyn. While things are definitely up in the air in regards to the merger of MD and DO programs, I am confident that DOs will still be able to match into competitive specialties. It may be more challenging, but this is something that is almost impossible to predict.
Hope this post is helpful!
Xo,
G
