Doctor of osteopathic medicine
Both DOs and MDs require rigorous study in the field of medicine. Most people go to medical schools that offer MDs, but DO degrees are growing in popularity. An MD is a traditional medicine degree, whereas a DO takes a holistic, mind-body-spirit approach to care. In the U. Keep reading for more information on the similarities and differences between DOs and MDs, as well as how it affects their medical practice.
The main difference between DOs and MDs comes down to the philosophy of care. DOs practice an osteopathic approach to care, while MDs practice an allopathic approach to care. An allopathic approach focuses on contemporary, research-based medicine, and it often uses medications or surgery to treat and manage different conditions.
According to the American Medical Association AMA , a person pursuing a DO degree should expect to participate in an additional hours or more of hands-on training on the musculoskeletal system. On the other hand, the allopathic focus of an MD means that they take a scientific approach to diagnosing and treating individual medical conditions.
That includes:. However, a student considering either program does not always need to stress over which route to take.
Osteopathic medicine
According to St. Ultimately, prospective students should consider the school and curriculum to determine which one best suits them. MD and DO programs have similar requirements when it comes to education. Over 53, applicants applied to medical schools in the U. Of those students, the average MCAT score was This indicates they have a doctor of medicine degree.
This means they have a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree. The differences between MDs and DOs are often subtle. MDs generally focus on treating specific conditions with medication. On the other hand, DOs tend to focus on whole-body healing, with or without traditional medication. They generally have a stronger holistic approach and have been trained with additional hours of hands-on techniques.
Some people claim that DOs put more emphasis on disease prevention, but prevention plays an important role in the work of both. MDs learn allopathy in medical school. Allopathic medicine emphasizes using medications and techniques like surgery or radiation to treat illnesses. These illnesses are usually diagnosed with the help of tests or procedures such as a complete blood count CBC or X-ray.
DOs learn osteopathy while earning their degree. Compared to allopathy, it focuses more on treating the body as a whole instead of treating specific conditions. Students of osteopathic medicine learn how to evaluate people using the same tools and procedures as students of allopathic medicine. However, they also learn how to use osteopathic manual medicine OMM , sometimes called osteopathic manipulative treatment.
OMM involves using the hands to diagnose, treat, or prevent injuries or illnesses. Examples of OMM during a physical exam include:. There are more than different OMM techniques. During a physical exam, a DO can use the visual and tactile findings from OMM to identify potential issues with:. Both DOs and MDs learn how to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and injuries.
As a result, they receive much of the same training, including:. A list of the different osteopathic medicine programs in the U. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices.
You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
Osteopathic medicine vs medical doctor salary
Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Request Appointment. Healthy Lifestyle Consumer health. Products and services.
What kind of doctor is a D. Does a D. Answer From Brent A. With Brent A. Address 1. Thank you for subscribing!
Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Nevertheless, DO students have an even harder time matching to them, mostly because of differences in prestige or reputation. One reason why DO physicians tend to practice primary care is because of the osteopathic medical philosophy.
Another reason is that DO students have a more difficult time matching to residencies offering specialty training. In , 52 percent of DO seniors ended up in primary care specialties vs. MD and DO physicians make comparable salaries when equivalent on factors like specialty, position, years of experience, and location.
Osteopathic medicine vs medical doctor
However, MD physicians earn higher incomes than DO physicians on average because they:. Are more likely to specialize, and specialists typically have higher salaries than generalists. Tend to practice more in urban areas salaries are usually higher for city dwellers, who have to deal with a higher cost of living; moreover, specialists tend to practice in urban areas.
Because living in urban areas is more desirable for many people—plus the fact that many cities contain numerous medical schools and academic medical centers, leading to high concentrations of doctors—employers may offer lower compensation to urban physicians. On the other hand, some employers in rural areas may offer higher compensation to attract talent.
MD physicians have full practice rights worldwide, whereas DO physicians currently have them in roughly 50 countries and partial practice rights in many other countries. If practicing internationally is a goal for you, you may want to consider an MD path and exploring your options for working as a locum doctor.
Locum doctors take temporary assignments in locations where demand for physicians is high, and as such, travel will be a core part of the job. Furthermore, locum doctors tend to be slightly better compensated than traditionally-employed doctors, as they fill roles in hospitals that are struggling to find qualified doctors. This means that the roles may be in rural areas, but with more free time on your hands, you can delve into hobbies such as learning a new language or exploring unique natural environments.
So how should you decide whether to apply to DO programs, MD programs, or both?
College of osteopathic medicine vs medical doctor
The answer to this question depends on the following factors:. Both MD and DO physicians are highly skilled practitioners who undergo years of intense medical training. However, the allopathic and osteopathic approaches to care appeal differently to different people. Although interests change during medical school and beyond, you should prioritize MD programs if you anticipate wanting to pursue a medical specialty.
Other factors to consider when it comes to career goals are location and the patient population you wish to ultimately benefit.
Osteopathic medicine vs medical doctor education: DOs and MDs are both licensed doctors in the U.S., but they have different philosophies and approaches to care. DOs focus on preventive, holistic, and osteopathic medicine, while MDs focus on research-based, allopathic, and disease-specific medicine.
According to AAMC, osteopathic doctors commonly work with underserved populations in both rural and urban areas. These groups will likely not have funds to afford highly specialized treatments or may live in a region where travel to specialized facilities is not possible. The DO path can lead to a career of service as the first point of contact with patients who may not have easy access to medicine.
If you imagine yourself making an impact with those less fortunate rather than deeply focusing on a particular specialty, a DO career path could be the right fit for you.
If your heart is set on pursuing a medical career but your numbers fall short of MD program expectations, DO schools may be your only option. Many students apply to MD and DO programs because of their interest in both training modalities. DO programs. We recommend certain percentage breakdowns of MD vs. DO program applications based on your stats in our guide on what MCAT score you need to get into med school.
The allopathic MD and osteopathic DO approaches to medicine are highly valuable for treating patients. Therefore, neither an MD nor DO is objectively better than the other. Nevertheless, your preference for one training modality vs.