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The Most DO-Friendly Otolaryngology Programs in the US

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by Mohamed Ahmed in Residency

Are you wondering how DO-friendly (or unfriendly) otolaryngology is as a US medical specialty? Do you want to know your chances of matching in this highly competitive field? Would you love to figure out what otolaryngology programs a DO would stand the best chance?

This article will give you the most up-to-date information on DO-friendly otolaryngology programs. Use this information to strategize on whether – and where – to apply to maximize your chances of matching as a DO in otolaryngology.

Summary:

  • Otolaryngology is a very competitive US medical specialty.
  • Few residency programs accept some DOs, while 3 programs were DO favored.
  • In 2022, the total number of DOs Applicants was 35. Of those, 21 matched, for a 60% match rate.
  • See the full list of searchable residency programs to strategize where DOs have recently been the most welcome
  • Be sure to bookmark this page – and sign up for the newsletter – to keep up with the latest residency and USMLE trends and maximize your chances of matching

Table of Contents

What’s the Difference Between a DO and an MD?

Let’s start with some definitions.

DO: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Licensed physicians trained in “whole body” wellness and treatment techniques in muscle and joint manipulation in addition to mainstream treatments.
Allopathy Vs. Osteopathy

In the US, there are two main branches of registered physician:

  • Allopathy: In this path, doctors train in modern, sometimes referred to as “Western”, medicine to treat symptoms and diseases. Doctors who train in this branch are licensed as Doctors of Medicine (MD)
  • Osteopathy: These doctors have the same education and licensing exams as MDs but have additional training in muscle and joint manipulation. Doctors who train in Osteopathy are licensed as Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and have the same residency training and choices as MDs.
COMLEX vs. USMLE

To begin practicing medicine, DOs and MDs must take specific licensing exams:

  • COMLEX-USA: This test assesses osteopathic medical knowledge in addition to allopathic medical knowledge in order to become licensed as a DO in the USA.
  • USMLE: This test assesses allopathic medical knowledge and is required to become licensed as an MD.
NRMP: “National Resident Matching Program®”
  • The organization that administers the “Match.” In the match, the NRMP pairs residency applicants with a residency program.

Note that prior to the 2020 Match, DOs had access to a “pool” of residencies reserved for which only they could match. The current system has merged DO and MD residencies so that every applicant has the same “chance” for matching in their chosen specialty.

For more on how to maximize your match chances and how the “Merge” has changed residency applications, see THE MATCH: Everything You Need to Maximize Your Residency Chances

Otolaryngology is Not Very DO-Friendly

Looking at the % of spots filled by DOs in the 2022 Match, we can see otolaryngology (6%) was relatively DO-unfriendly. Only two other specialties had a lower proportion of positions filled by DOs.

However, the match rate for DOs in otolaryngology (60%) shows the DOs still have a good chance for acceptance in otolaryngology in the 2022 Match:

Here are the same data represented in a table:

% DO Applied that Matched% DO Unmatched% Positions Filled by DOTotal Positions OfferedTotal # All ApplicantsDO Senior MatchedDO Senior UnmatchedDO Senior Total
**Radiation Oncology0%100%0%185162
**Plastic Surgery0%100%0%194340
Vascular Surgery8%92%1%8414311213
Neurological Surgery43%57%4%24037991221
Dermatology50%50%7%544834383876
Orthopaedic Surgery56%44%13%8751,43511186197
Interventional Radiology59%41%12%169226201434
Otolaryngology60%40%6%361556211435
General Surgery62%38%12%1,6222,400200125325
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation64%36%33%53272517699275
Obstetrics and Gynecology65%35%16%1,5032,044241130371
Anesthesiology66%34%16%1,9692,560313161474
Diagnostic Radiology67%33%15%1,1551,56816984253
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics74%26%9%392458371350
Psychiatry87%13%18%2,0472,56037857435
Child Neurology89%11%9%18818217219
Neurology92%8%15%1,0141,24915013163
Pathology93%7%12%63182775681
Internal Medicine94%6%15%9,80911,5981,503931596
Emergency Medicine95%5%25%2,9212,81373638774
Family Medicine96%4%27%4,9165,0551,345621407
Pediatrics97%3%19%3,0163,15356520585

For more on the most competitive DO medical specialties, see this article.

The Most DO-Friendly Dermatology Residency Programs

Although otolaryngology is not a DO-friendly specialty, there are still some otolaryngology residency programs that accepted a higher % of DOs. For example, in the most recent GME census, 3 residency programs filled 100% of their spots with DOs: McLaren Health Care, Ascension Macomb-Oakland, and Philadelphia College.   

Here is a list of the most (and least) competitive otolaryngology programs for DOs. It includes data from the most recent National GME Census Survey. Percentages are of all residents in the program in 2020.

Specialty: Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
ACGME residency program codeResidency program nameCityState% residents US DO graduates% residents US MD graduatesOsteopathic Recognition# applications submitted (2021 NRMP Main Match)% applicants interviewed (2020 NRMP Main Match)# of positions offered (2021 NRMP Main Match)# of positions (2021 NRMP Main Match)
2802500138McLaren Health Care/Oakland/MSU ProgramPontiacMI1000No13011.322
2802500139Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital ProgramWarrenMI1000No12615.122
2804100142Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine ProgramPhiladelphiaPA1000Yes1178.833
2803300065Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School ProgramNewarkNJ3961No015.844
2801411116Tripler Army Medical Center ProgramTripler AMCHI2080No
2802021127University of Kentucky College of Medicine ProgramLexingtonKY1388No3241144
2801621118Southern Illinois University ProgramSpringfieldIL1070No24312.622
2802821058University of Missouri-Columbia ProgramColumbiaMO982No2701633
2805511113West Virginia University ProgramMorgantownWV883No25915.833
2802121043Tulane University ProgramNew OrleansLA793No41311.933
2803021061University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine ProgramOmahaNE793No27014.533
2802521137Wayne State University School of Medicine ProgramDetroitMI595No32319.144
2804121095University of Pennsylvania Health System ProgramPhiladelphiaPA492No4488.455
2800121010University of Alabama Medical Center ProgramBirminghamAL0100No35815.844
2800421012University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine ProgramLittle RockAR0100No29413.933
2800521013University of California Davis Health ProgramSacramentoCA0100No38511.633
2800521014University of California (Irvine) ProgramOrangeCA0100No35211.322
2800521015University of Southern California/LAC+USC Medical Center ProgramLos AngelesCA0100No3669.444
2800521017UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine/UCLA Medical Center ProgramLos AngelesCA0100No36111.955
2800521021University of California (San Diego) Medical Center ProgramSan DiegoCA0100No37414.733
2800521022University of California (San Francisco) ProgramSan FranciscoCA0100No3511055
2800521023Stanford Health Care-Sponsored Stanford University ProgramStanfordCA096No37910.555
2800521117Loma Linda University Health Education Consortium ProgramLoma LindaCA0100No2848.644
2800522020Kaiser Permanente Northern California ProgramOaklandCA0100No2811122
2800721024University of Colorado ProgramAuroraCO0100No4559.144
2800821025University of Connecticut ProgramFarmingtonCT0100No33010.133
2800821026Yale-New Haven Medical Center ProgramNew HavenCT088No40210.844
2801032027MedStar Health/Georgetown University Hospital ProgramWashingtonDC0100No4466.433
2801121028University of Florida ProgramGainesvilleFL0100No37013.733
2801121029University of Miami/Jackson Health System ProgramMiamiFL095No4561444
2801131030University of South Florida Morsani ProgramTampaFL0100No30914.733
2801221031Emory University School of Medicine ProgramAtlantaGA089No4629.544
2801221032Medical College of Georgia ProgramAugustaGA0100No34513.133
2801621033McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University ProgramChicagoIL093No45011.833
2801621035University of Chicago ProgramChicagoIL0100No4541233
2801621036University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago ProgramChicagoIL0100No43314.933
2801631037Loyola University Medical Center ProgramMaywoodIL0100No44212.333
2801721038Indiana University School of Medicine ProgramIndianapolisIN0100No39715.544
2801821039University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics ProgramIowa CityIA089No39318.255
2801931040University of Kansas School of Medicine ProgramKansas CityKS0100No36713.844
2802021041University of Louisville School of Medicine ProgramLouisvilleKY092No30816.133
2802121121Louisiana State University (Shreveport) ProgramShreveportLA093No24214.833
2802131042Louisiana State University ProgramNew OrleansLA0100No36411.344
2802321047Johns Hopkins University ProgramBaltimoreMD092No40711.544
2802321048University of Maryland ProgramBaltimoreMD0100No4267.433
2802421049Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/Harvard Medical School ProgramBostonMA096No3981255
2802431051Boston University Medical Center ProgramBostonMA0100No44813.944
2802512053Henry Ford Hospital ProgramDetroitMI0100No34411.933
2802521052University of Michigan Health System ProgramAnn ArborMI0100No4399.855
2802621056Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Rochester) ProgramRochesterMN0100No3899.355
2802631055University of Minnesota ProgramMinneapolisMN0100No39610.344
2802721122University of Mississippi Medical Center ProgramJacksonMS093No25714.133
2802821059St Louis University School of Medicine ProgramSt LouisMO0100No3768.822
2802821060Washington University/B-JH/SLCH Consortium ProgramSt LouisMO097No42914.755
2803500142Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York Eye and Ear Infirmary/Mount Sinai) ProgramNew YorkNY0100No4071766
2803511074New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia and Cornell Campus) ProgramNew YorkNY0100No40611.344
2803513135University at Buffalo ProgramBuffaloNY0100No28515.822
2803521073NYU Grossman School of Medicine ProgramNew YorkNY0100No4211044
2803521078University of Rochester ProgramRochesterNY0100No33815.833
2803521123SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University ProgramBrooklynNY0100No3478.233
2803521133Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine ProgramBronxNY0100No38612.544
2803611082Wake Forest University School of Medicine ProgramWinston-SalemNC0100No41610.933
2803621080University of North Carolina Hospitals ProgramChapel HillNC0100No45211.244
2803621081Duke University Hospital ProgramDurhamNC090No45212.344
2803821083University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine ProgramCincinnatiOH0100No44512.844
2803821124Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center ProgramClevelandOH0100No4531244
2803822085Cleveland Clinic Foundation ProgramClevelandOH0100No44912.144
2803831087Ohio State University Hospital ProgramColumbusOH0100No46010.355
2803921088University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center ProgramOklahoma CityOK092No2831322
2804021089Oregon Health & Science University ProgramPortlandOR0100No4116.433
2804111091Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center ProgramHersheyPA091No34012.133
2804121093Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University/TJUH ProgramPhiladelphiaPA0100No44614.955
2804121096UPMC Medical Education (Pittsburgh) ProgramPittsburghPA091No44410.455
2804231098University of Puerto Rico ProgramSan JuanPR0100No5014.522
2804521100Medical University of South Carolina ProgramCharlestonSC0100No45010.844
2804721101University of Tennessee ProgramMemphisTN0100No36913.844
2804721125Vanderbilt University Medical Center ProgramNashvilleTN0100No4529.855
2804811103University of Texas Medical Branch Hospitals ProgramGalvestonTX0100No29813.233
2804821102University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center ProgramDallasTX0100No435944
2804821105University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston ProgramHoustonTX0100No41214.833
2804821106University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine ProgramSan AntonioTX0100No33017.622
2804831104Baylor College of Medicine ProgramHoustonTX0100No45412.855
2804921107University of Utah Health ProgramSalt Lake CityUT0100No3978.933
2805121109University of Virginia Medical Center ProgramCharlottesvilleVA0100No4419.233
2805121110Eastern Virginia Medical School ProgramNorfolkVA0100No34612.933
2805121111Virginia Commonwealth University Health System ProgramRichmondVA0100No37313.133
2805421112University of Washington ProgramSeattleWA0100No40513.744
2805431005Madigan Army Medical Center ProgramTacomaWA0100No
2805621114University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics ProgramMadisonWI093No38610.833
2805621115Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals ProgramMilwaukeeWI0100No3691333
2800300142University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson ProgramTucsonAZNo284822
2800331134Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Arizona) ProgramPhoenixAZNo3656.722
2800500118Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ProgramLos AngelesCANo22611.322
2800511007Naval Medical Center (San Diego) ProgramSan DiegoCANo
2801021130George Washington University ProgramWashingtonDCNo4115.222
2801031132National Capital Consortium ProgramBethesdaMDNo
2801100001Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science ProgramJacksonvilleFLNo
2801621034Rush University Medical Center ProgramChicagoILNo4219.322
2802400053Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School ProgramBostonMANo011.822
2802431050Tufts Medical Center ProgramBostonMANo4268.222
2802500140Henry Ford Macomb Hospital ProgramClinton TownshipMINo1546.911
2802500141Beaumont Health (Farmington Hills) ProgramFarmington HillsMINo353611
2802500143Detroit Medical Center Corporation ProgramDetroitMINo1008.622
2802800061Kansas City University GME Consortium (KCU-GME Consortium)/Freeman ProgramJoplinMONo33510.911
2803113139Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV ProgramLas VegasNVNo21915.311
2803212136Dartmouth-Hitchcock/Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital ProgramLebanonNHNo271711
2803300064Cooper Medical School of Rowan University/Cooper University Hospital ProgramCamdenNJNo22714.311
2803421126University of New Mexico School of Medicine ProgramAlbuquerqueNMNo26111.122
2803500001Westchester Medical Center ProgramVahallaNYNo
2803500141Stony Brook Medicine ProgramStony BrookNYNo25010.411
2803500143Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell ProgramNew Hyde ParkNYNo26512.522
2803521063Albany Medical Center ProgramAlbanyNYNo29222
2803521079SUNY Upstate Medical University ProgramSyracuseNYNo32233
2803800125OhioHealth/Doctors Hospital ProgramColumbusOHYes13910.411
2803800126Western Reserve Hospital ProgramCuyahoga FallsOHNo1198.211
2803800128Kettering Health Network ProgramDaytonOHNo13010.111
2803800129St Elizabeth Boardman Hospital ProgramBoardmanOHNo10715.211
2803900089Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences ProgramTulsaOKYes8511
2804100002St Luke’s Hospital – Anderson Campus ProgramEastonPANo022
2804100003Allegheny Health Network Medical Education Consortium ProgramPittsburghPANo011
2804100143UPMC Medical Education (Erie) ProgramEriePANo1381011
2804112090Geisinger Health System ProgramDanvillePANo22110.722
2804121092Temple University Hospital ProgramPhiladelphiaPANo40910.422
2804800001Methodist Hospital (Houston) ProgramHoustonTXNo00
2804800139Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock ProgramLubbockTXNo20612.811
2804812138Texas A&M College of Medicine-Scott and White Medical Center (Temple) ProgramTempleTXNo2357.411
2804821131San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium ProgramJBSA-Fort Sam HoustonTXNo
2805011108University of Vermont Medical Center ProgramBurlingtonVTNo2548.611
2805121120Naval Medical Center (Portsmouth) ProgramPortsmouthVANo

Concluding Thoughts

Otolaryngology is a highly competitive specialty for DOs. That said, there are still some places for DOs with over 13 residency programs accepting at least one DO. However, DOs hoping to match in otolaryngology will find it more competitive with only a few programs accepting any DOs.

Are you despairing at your chances of matching into otolaryngology as a DO? Then, check out Never Forget, where you can learn how to master – not memorize – for the impressive USMLE scores to match at your dream residency. And if you’re looking for a residency advisor, look at our residency advisory services.

Want FREE Cardiology Flashcards?

Cardiology is key for impressive USMLE scores. Master cardiology from a Harvard-trained anesthesiologist who scored USMLE 270 with these 130+ high-yield flash cards. You’ll be begging for cardio questions - even if vitals make you queasy.

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