[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

No, that’s me.

I’m guessing a DO is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

If I recall person man's background correctly, you'd be correct.

I just thought of something: I am the first person in my family to go beyond a high school diploma. Both sides, as far back as anyone can determine (there are some pretty hard-core genealogists on both sides too). My mom had some college, and my dad was (I think) a master electrician, but no other formal academics at all. My wife, with her BS in nursing is also the only person in her family with a degree (though her brother-in-law has a BS in accounting).

Looking at that, I AM pretty damn proud of my academic accomplishments, especially with the financial background I came from. But I don't say "hey everybody-let's discuss the effect of the Reformation on Dutch colonial practices!" I don't mention my degrees unless there's a reason to-I did yesterday when helping a therapist with a computer problem. But I always try to help people out when they have computer problems anyway... I guess the point is that I started out being a non-jerk, and getting more education didn't change that, and other people's observations that they felt jerkism was a trait that was there regardless of education is probably pretty accurate.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

No, that’s me.

I’m guessing a DO is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

Yes, that's exactly right.

Since I live in the United States, I went to an American College of Osteopathic Medicine, which are fully accredited medical schools and as such, our degree is equivalent to the MD degree and we enjoy all the same rights and privileges as MDs in the practice of medicine.

American Osteopathic Association

Most of the rest of the world tends to follow the European model of Osteopathic education, whereby people obtain master's degrees in Osteopathy and are limited in scope of practice to Osteopathic Manipulation treatment.

For a European to have (basically) the same status that we do in the U.S. they would first need to go to medical school and get their MD degree (or equivalent in their country) and then get a Master's degree in Osteopathy.

Fun fact: Michigan State University has both a DO school and a MD school. Until recently (due to changes in how medicine is taught in the United States), students in both colleges had their first two years' classes together, with only difference being that the DO students had additional courses in Osteopathy that the MD students did not. The third and fourth years of both types of medical school usually consist of doing rotations at hospitals/doctor's offices/etc.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

If I recall person man's background correctly, you'd be correct.

Yup. See above.

[Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by Person Man 

Could you modify the MD line to say MD/DO?

I'm a physician, but I'm not an MD, I am a DO.

What's a DO?

Update: Never mind.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

What's a DO?

See above.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

Update: Never mind.

[BigBadWolf]

BM and a Graduate Diploma (it's like an MM, but I didn't have any classes really, just performance related ones {I'm a musician}).

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by ort888 

What's ironic is that almost all of my friends have multiple degrees, masters degrees, etc... yet we both make more money then just about all of them. God bless America.

What fields do you and your wife work in, out of curiosity?

[Gareth Johnston]

Honours degree in Mapping & Cartography.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Person Man 

Fun fact: Michigan State University has both a DO school and a MD school.

This led to (and probably still leads to) an interesting bit of the rivalry between MSU and UofM (which has a very prestigious medical school of its own). Interesting bits of sniping can be heard in various clinics and sometimes on campus.

My family doctor when I was little was a DO. Osteopaths are (in my experience) better at people skills than MDs-is that part of the training?

[vexborg]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Flere bibliotekarer! Halvdelen af mit hold er bibliotekarer.

Hehe... Er nogen fra dit hold fra årgang 2000 i København?

Arbejder ikke som bibliotekar mere, men som underviser hos TDC...

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by vexborg 

Hehe... Er nogen fra dit hold fra årgang 2000 i København?

Arbejder ikke som bibliotekar mere, men som underviser hos TDC...

Nej, jeg tror de er af lidt nyere årgang, sådan fra 2003 og fremefter – men de er alle sammen fra København. Jeg blev godt overrasket da jeg startede på ITU. Jeg havde mere eller mindre aldrig mødt en fra Bibliotekarskolen før, og pludselig sad jeg på et hold med intet mindre end elleve medstuderende der alle var Bibliotekarskolebachelorer. En helt ny verden.

[Amorya]

BSc in Psychology. Working towards my PhD now... it's a slow process.

(I think, at the end of it, I'll probably change fields completely and go work for a software company. Oh well.)

Amorya

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

My family doctor when I was little was a DO. Osteopaths are (in my experience) better at people skills than MDs-is that part of the training?

Yes and no.

No in the sense of specific training in people skills per se, but yes in the sense of philosophic approach to illness.

The four basic principles of Osteopathy are as follows:

1. The body is a unit.
2. The body possesses self-regulatory mechanisms which are self-healing in nature.
3. Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
4. Rational treatment is based on these principles.

From these principles, especially the first, one can see that illness (or dysfunction) in one part of the body, no matter how insignificant that part may seem, affects the body (and the mind) as a whole.

So our approach to illness is to treat the patient. Not just the illness. "Treating the patient" encompasses addressing the specific disease process as well as its effects on the rest of the body. That includes emotional aspects as well as physical.

It's not too hard to extrapolate from there to get to "better people skills."

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Person Man 

The four basic principles of Osteopathy are as follows:

1. The body is a unit.
2. The body possesses self-regulatory mechanisms which are self-healing in nature.
3. Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
4. Rational treatment is based on these principles.

As an example to the "body as unit" principle: I had a patient who had diabetes. He did everything he was supposed to, watched his diet, took the medications given to him, exercised, and kept his weight down. His blood sugars were always under excellent control and he was very successful. Then he hurt his back. He continued to do everything he was doing before, including exercising. The only thing different was he was in constant pain. His diabetes was now uncontrolled. His sugars ran high no matter what he did, until his pain was controlled. Once his pain was well controlled, his diabetes came back under control. The seemingly unrelated problem of severe low back pain was affecting his diabetes.

[abe]

G.E.D.

And they MADE me take the exam in the Army.

Other than that I can say I did not go beyond the 10th Grade.

Sex. Drugs. Rebellion. Lack of parental guidance.

Unlike some of my youthful peers I did not go to prison nor get caught up with crime. I have not been consumed by substance addictions and didn't die along the way. So, I guess I'd have to say I'm lucky.

I've accomplished a few things of note but I think my natural talents and curiosity might have taken me farther if I'd been degreed. The importance of a diploma is that it serves as evidence of your education, discipline and perseverance and it opens doors for you. And opportunity is more than half of the keys to success. If you aren't one to create your own opportunities you'd better have some that are opened for you.

If I had it to do over again I'd have chosen different role models and values.

[abe]

Originally Posted by Person Man 

Yes, that's exactly right.

Since I live in the United States, I went to an American College of Osteopathic Medicine, which are fully accredited medical schools and as such, our degree is equivalent to the MD degree and we enjoy all the same rights and privileges as MDs in the practice of medicine.

American Osteopathic Association

Most of the rest of the world tends to follow the European model of Osteopathic education, whereby people obtain master's degrees in Osteopathy and are limited in scope of practice to Osteopathic Manipulation treatment.

For a European to have (basically) the same status that we do in the U.S. they would first need to go to medical school and get their MD degree (or equivalent in their country) and then get a Master's degree in Osteopathy.

Fun fact: Michigan State University has both a DO school and a MD school. Until recently (due to changes in how medicine is taught in the United States), students in both colleges had their first two years' classes together, with only difference being that the DO students had additional courses in Osteopathy that the MD students did not. The third and fourth years of both types of medical school usually consist of doing rotations at hospitals/doctor's offices/etc.

How often does the subject of a certain Northeastern Ohio osteopath who gained some infamy in the 1950's and 60's get mentioned in your circle of friends or co-workers?

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by abe 

How often does the subject of a certain Northeastern Ohio osteopath who gained some infamy in the 1950's and 60's get mentioned in your circle of friends or co-workers?

I know who you're referring to, and actually it never comes up in discussion. No more than other infamous doctors with MD degrees get discussed by other MDs.

Which brings up a little rant: When an MD does something bad, the press reports them as simply "doctor." As in, "John Doe, a doctor, was convicted of killing his wife..." but when an osteopathic physician does something bad, the press makes is a point of saying they're "an osteopath" or "an osteopathic doctor." As in "John Public, an osteopathic doctor was convicted of killing his wife."

It is, in a way, a form of subtle discrimination against us, as though we're more prone to commit crimes than non-osteopathic physicians are.

Rant over.

[Mac User #001]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster 

What's a DO, a deer?

A female deer.

Well, as for me, I'm still in high school. So I guess I'm the "or below".