There are two ways to become a doctor: a Physician (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). Both require four years of training and equally stringent testing, but DOs receive additional training in the muscular and skeletal system and may view diseases as affecting the whole body. DOs may also use osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT) for diagnosis. The field of DOs is expanding, and some patients prefer their approach to medicine.
When deciding to become a doctor, there are actually two ways to become a doctor and practice medicine. One can become a Physician (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). Both licenses allow you to practice medicine and have equally stringent testing. The differences between an MD and a DO mostly lie in the philosophy of how to practice medicine.
Both MDs and DOs tend to begin their education with a four-year degree, either in pre-medicine or a related scientific field. Each type of doctor will then complete four years of training before taking the exams that will result in licensure. Both types of doctor can then choose to specialize in a particular field and study for another two to six years. The specialist doctor will then undergo further tests to be cleared by the board of his specialty.
In most cases, the four years of medical school are pretty similar. However the DO receives training in the muscular and skeletal system, and also in muscular and skeletal manipulation. A physician who is a DO tends to evaluate a person’s health in terms of viewing the body as a complex interrelated network. Any disease affects the whole body. The doctor, in contrast, may evaluate the disease in terms of how it affects only certain parts of the body.
An osteopathic physician is less likely to specialize than a physician because in training there is an emphasis on preventative care and the philosophy of taking time with patients to assess their total health and total health needs. This does not mean that the DO cannot prescribe drugs and treat a disease with equal competence. This does however mean that the DO may consider alternative approaches to treating the disease and may be more inclined to view the disease as a malfunction of the whole body functioning.
The DO also practices osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT), which means light manipulations of the spine or simply placing hands on the body to confirm the diagnosis. This method of diagnosis can take a little longer than that of traditional diagnosis of MD symptoms and tests.
There are currently fewer DOs than MDs, but the field of DOs is expanding. Some patients prefer the longer duration of a DO, but others prefer the MD’s less touchy/sensitive approach. In both fields a doctor can be incredibly knowledgeable and some doctors are just as concerned about total health as DOs. Often physician practices may now offer the choice of a physician or primary care physician as a primary care physician so that patients can choose the approach that best fits their view of medicine.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
