The Merger of Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) Residencies

 BY ERIC SANTANA – Today, there are two options in terms of education for undergraduates who want to be a practicing physician in the United States. The first and better-known option is to attend an accredited medical university that will gain the status of Allopathic Doctor or Medical doctor (MD). The second option is to attend an accredited medical university that will give one the status of Osteopathic Doctor (DO). These two options in terms of what type of program to enroll in are very similar and essentially achieve the same goal, the ability to practice medicine. The main differences are often in areas of focus as well as the official license. Additionally, the residency programs students could choose from were also different. DO schools were often criticized due to their seemingly inferior programs; that is now changing.

By the time the class of 2020, currently second year medical students, apply for their residencies, students from DO and MD schools will both apply to same programs. A merger between the two organizations, the ACGME (MD) and the AOA (DO), that head the residences is occurring in order to promote a more respected and uniform standard of medicine. This merger will consequentially form one standard and shall be known as the General Medical Education (GME) Accreditation System. By establishing one standard, the process of applying to residencies will be made easier on DO students attempting to gain entry to MD residencies. Before the merger occurred, they had to take an additional test in order to gain entrance into these rigorous program. Furthermore, creating one standard residency program for medical students will also increase the quality of education, as the scholastic expectations will be raised within many programs that were less challenging before. The GME also hopes to diversify medicine with this merger and appreciate and interpret the various aspects that the two forms of medicine highlight.

Despite the positive aspects of this merger, the transition will also prove to be a very difficult process. In particular, students are concerned this may make the residency applications much more challenging, particularly for DO students who previously had the option to exclusively participate in DO residencies. Another problem students may face is that if they enroll in a program before the merger occurs and it does not meet the standards of the merger and accreditation system, it will be shut down. This would leave students without a residency for the time being.

After better understanding the nature of the merger it seems that it will be a positive change for the healthcare field as it will diversify the background of future physicians, while also creating a standard for the quality of education received by students in residencies around the United States. However, this transition will prove to be very difficult as some students will be left in closing programs without anywhere to turn and the question of whether or not a true criterion will be able to be adequately and fairly set is still something that is in discussion. How will the transition to this new system bring new challenges to today’s current medical students? Only time will tell.