Question About DO Friendly Programs!
Hello! Thank you so much for this website; it has helped me out immensely. What is your take on small community programs with lots of DO residents? They seem to have a pretty good fellowship match (IR in some top programs, a pretty good mix of fellowships overall).
Thanks a bunch,
Low Tier
Answer:
I am somewhat biased as our program has welcomed both DO and Caribbean medical school graduates for years. And, yes, folks consider us a “community” program. (although that will change with our impeding merger)
My philosophy on radiology education is that a residency is only as good as what you put into it. Regardless of the name, if you work hard and read a lot, you will come out of your residency as a great radiologist. The big difference some of the more popular programs afford is additional subspecialty work that you might not get elsewhere and hardcore research that you may or may not want. However, all is not lost if your residency does not fit this category. Indeed, you can get some of these experiences during your fellowship. And, most residents complete a fellowship after residency.
In terms of being a DO friendly program, I have no problem with that. As long as education is of high quality and the program’s resources are adequate, it should not matter if the residents are Caribbean, foreign, or DO. In our residency, some of our best residents tend to be Caribbean grads, for one reason or another. That should not dissuade you from applying to a program if you know that the program’s quality is high, and you will receive the training you want. We have had excellent residents from American, Caribbean, and DO residencies alike.
Hope that helps,
Barry Julius, MD
