Frequently Asked Questions

About D.O.s
What is the official definition of a D.O.?
What is the difference between a D.O. and an M.D.?
How many years do D.O.s attend medical school?
What is the D.O. symbol and what does it represent?
How Do I become a Doctor of Osteopathy?
What steps do I take to become a D.O.?

About Osteopathic Medical Education
How many Accredited Schools, Colleges, Universities and Institutes of Osteopathic medicine are there is USA?
How can I apply to an osteopathic medical college?
How can I find statistics/rankings to help me choose the best osteopathic medical college?

Certification
What does it mean to be Board Certified?
Which areas of medicine can D.O.s be certified in?
Can a D.O. be certified by an M.D. (allopathic) board?

About D.O.s

What is the official definition of a D.O.?
D.O.s, n. fully licensed osteopathic physicians who specialize in all areas of medicine; founded on philosophy of treating people, not just symptoms.

What is the difference between a D.O. and an M.D.?
D.O.s practice a…“whole person� approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they assess the overall health of their patients including home and work environments. D.O.s also receive training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). With OMT, osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to encourage the body's natural tendency toward good health.

How many years do D.O.s attend medical school?
D.O.s attend osteopathic medical school for a period of four years, which includes clinical and classroom learning.

What is the D.O. symbol and what does it represent?
The D.O. symbol is called the Staff of Aesclepius (often spelled Aesculapius) and consists of a single serpent encircling a staff, or classically a rough-hewn knotty tree limb. The staff was named after a skilled physician who practiced in Greece around 1200 BC. The term can also be found in Homer's Iliad. Aesclepius is commonly referred to as the Greek god of Healing.

How Do I become a Doctor of Osteopathy?

Osteopathic medicine is dedicated to treating and healing the patient as a whole, rather than focusing on one system or body part. An osteopathic physician will often use a treatment method called osteopathic manipulative treatment (also called OMT or manipulation) -- a hands-on approach to make sure that the body is moving freely. This free motion ensures that all of your body's natural healing systems are able to work unhindered. The unique holisitic approach has made this hands-on approach to pain management more popular with Western cultures. A Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) will become familiar with general medical education as part of their training. To enter a career in osteopathy, understand that earning a D.O. degree can be a lengthy and moderately expensive endeavor. However, its rewards are unique, and caring for patients can be extremely satisfying for many.

Osteopathic physicians hold to the principle that a patient's history of illness and physical trauma are written into the body's structure. The osteopathic physician's highly developed sense of touch allows the physician to feel (palpate) the patient's "living anatomy" (the flow of fluids, motion and texture of tissues, and structural makeup).

Like M.D.s, osteopathic physicians are licensed at the state level. Osteopathic physicians who wish to specialize may become "board certified" (in much the same manner as M.D.s) by completing a 2- to 6-year residency within the specialty area and passing the board certification exams.

D.O.s practice in all specialties of medicine, ranging from emergency medicine and cardiovascular surgery to psychiatry and geriatrics. A majority of osteopathic doctors use many of the medical and surgical treatments that are used by other medical doctors.

Like allopathic physicians (or M.D.s), osteopathic physicians complete 4 years of medical school and can choose to practice in any specialty of medicine. However, osteopathic physicians receive an additional 300 - 500 hours in the study of hands-on manual medicine and the body's musculoskeletal system.

What steps do I take to become a D.O.?

Take Steps to Prepare for Training

1. Complete your bachelor's degree in a science major like biology, physics, general chemistry or organic chemistry.

2. Volunteer in a health care setting before considering a career in this field.

3. Study for and take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

4. Seek out funding sources to help with program costs. Costs for a typical 4-year program will range from moderate to expensive.

5. Understand that there are additional requirements after graduation. Osteopaths complete an approved 12-month internship where they're involved in hospital rotations. Choosing to complete a specialty will require 2 to 6 years of additional training.

Evaluate Osteopathic Programs:

6. Expect to spend your first 2 years in osteopathic medical school completing laboratory exercises and listening to lectures and the last 2 years performing clinical work to become a D.O.

7. Evaluate the 19 different osteopathic medical schools in the United States. Find a list of schools and a great deal of useful information at the "Association of American Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine" (AACOM) Web site

8. Consider the benefits and limitations of hospital-affiliated schools. Some schools that aren't affiliated with particular hospitals will allow students to travel and work apart from their enrolled university during the third and fourth years. Schools with hospital placements often require students to work in particular teaching hospitals associated with the school.

9. Ask whether there is a residency restriction when speaking to program coordinators. You may be unable to apply if you haven't met residency requirements. Inquiring ahead of time about extra out-of-state fees is advised for all applicants.

10. Apply early. Many schools open application periods for fall entry in May.

11. Create a back-up plan in the event that you aren't accepted to your first choice.

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Osteopathic Medical Education

How many Accredited Schools, Colleges, Universities and Institutes of Osteopathic medicine are there is USA?
There are currently 26 Accredited Schools, Colleges, Universities and Institutes of Osteopathic medicine offering instructions at 34 locations in 25 states in USA

How can I apply to an osteopathic medical college?
All prospective students can use the application service through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

How can I find statistics/rankings to help me choose the best osteopathic medical college?
The AOA does not rank its colleges. All osteopathic medical colleges must comply with the AOA's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation standards.

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Certification

What does it mean to be Board Certified?
Board certification, through one of the 18 Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists certifying boards of the AOA, means an osteopathic physician has successfully completed the necessary education and post-doctoral training to submit to evaluation and examination by the certifying boards. D.O.s who successfully pass the examination and evaluation process in their specialty of choice are then said to be board-certified or Diplomates of the examining board.

In most cases, D.O.s who wish to become certified must complete the following:

• Must be a graduate of an osteopathic medical school.
• Have applied to and been accepted as a registrant by the appropriate specialty board.
• Have documented the satisfactory completion of an AOA-approved internship and the completion of the practice requirement.
• Have documented the satisfactory completion of an AOA-approved residency or preceptorship program if applicable.
• Have met all the requirements as established by the appropriate specialty board.
• Are and remain members in good standing of the AOA or the Canadian Osteopathic Association.

Which areas of medicine can D.O.s be certified in?
Osteopathic physicians can become certified through one of the AOA's 18 certifying boards. In addition, upon obtaining primary certification, D.O.s can also seek additional certification in subspecialty areas such as cardiology and maternal fetal medicine and in areas of Added Qualifications such as Sports Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. For a complete listing of primary and subspecialty areas, please go to Physician Certification Overview.

Can a D.O. be certified by an M.D. (allopathic) board?
Yes. Osteopathic physicians can receive certification through one of the member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). In order to become board-certified through an ABMS Board, physicians must meet the requirements of that Board.

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