TCOM studies M.D. program

As the class sizes at Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine steadily have increased over the years, finding places for these students to do hands-on learning has become more difficult, said Dr. Don Peska, associate dean for educational programs. That’s why the school — which has graduated thousands of D.O.s into Texas and beyond — is studying the question of whether to add an allopathic degree to let future M.D.s join the Fort Worth school.

In Fort Worth, TCOM graduates have the opportunity to be matched to residency programs at two hospitals Third-year students can also do rotations through those hospitals and see residents they may someday work with, Peska said. Other hospitals, though, have staffs that are largely M.D.s and may be reluctant to let in D.O. students on rotation or in residencies just because of a lack of familiarity.

If it takes an M.D. program at TCOM to let graduates have another choice to study and serve in the area — and potentially stay in the area through residency and practice, since many doctors keep their careers where they served their residencies — then it’s worth examining more, Peska said.

“The hospitals’ wishes in this regard [are] really the prime driver of that engine,” he said.

With an M.D. program, the school — and the hospitals — also would be able to benefit from state funding that isn’t available to D.O. schools, Peska said. And while many may think that adding an M.D. program would be validating hospital concerns over D.O.s, Peska said the decision should have nothing to do with the school and instead how best to help contribute future health care providers.

A study group at the UNT Health Science Center is examining the question of whether to add an M.D. program and will present its findings to the board of regents in May. No action is expected until November or later, but the community can follow the study group at www.hsc.unt.edu/sites/StudyGroup/.