Osteopathic Medicine

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Osteopathic Medicine

• By Greg Doctor

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What is a D.O.?

• D.O. stands for Doctor of Osteopathy. DOs are
  very similar to M.D.s in a sense that they are
  certified doctors who may diagnose patients and
  prescribe medications.
• DOs can specialize in all the same areas as MDs.

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DO cont.

• DOs traditionally focus more on preventative
  medicine and manipulative techniques, though
  generally utilize advanced treatments much like
  MDs.
• The central dogma of osteopathy is reliance on
  the bodys innate ability to heal itself.
• DOs are generally highly encouraged to practice
  in rural areas

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Education

• DO school is very similar to MD school
• 4 years of undergraduate studies are required as
  well as 4 years of DO school, a residency and
  possibly a fellowship
• Different specializations require varying degrees
  of post DO school education (e.g. residency,
  fellowship, etc)

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Finances

• The average cost of DO school is about
  50,000/year though it ranges from about
  40,000-70,000
• Scholarship or financial aid is often available
• The salary of osteopathic physicians ranges from
  about 80,000 to over 300,000 depending on
  specialty
• In general, osteopathic physicians earn the same
  amount as medical doctors of the same specialty

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Schedule

• Osteopathic physicians work anywhere from 3-6
  days/week depending on their work situation
• For example a doctor who owns his own practice
  may only work 3 days/week
• On top of work, many DOs will be on call much
  of the week
• When on call, a physician must always be
  reachable and ready to go to work in case of an
  emergency

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Professionalism

• As with most health care professions, a
  background check as well as continued good
  behavior and legal standing is necessary.
• Acceptance into a DO program is generally highly
  dependant on past volunteer work. Community
  involvement is highly encouraged.

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Questions

• Do you know any osteopathic physicians?
• How do you think osteopathy compares with
  standard western medicine?
• If you wanted to be a doctor, would you want to
  be DO or MD?