A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) has a holistic approach to patient treatment, assessing overall health and risk factors to prevent problems. They are trained in the muscular and skeletal system and can practice any field of medicine. Patients often report greater satisfaction with a DO’s bedside manner.
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is a physician with slightly different training than a physician with an MD. He or she is equally educated, with four years of college education, four years of medical school, and additional years if he or she chooses to specialize. However, the DO has a slightly different approach to patient treatment than the MD.
This doctor is trained to evaluate the person holistically. The goal of DO is not simply to treat problems as they arise, but to prevent them by assessing the patient’s overall health and health risks. This assessment may include not only examining quantifiable risk factors for the disease but also evaluating the person in terms of their home life, work life, and stress level. Also, the disease is evaluated in terms of how it affects the whole body, not just certain parts of it.
The DO is trained specifically in understanding the muscular and skeletal system and how they may relate to disease or pain management. Sometimes, he practices spinal manipulation, similar to the work done by chiropractors, in addition to other more traditional medical treatments.
This practitioner can practice any field of medicine, including psychiatry, surgery, pediatrics, or obstetrics, but most train to become general practitioners. The DO will also pass exams nearly identical to those taken by a doctor, so their ability to practice medicine competently is equal to that of the doctor.
Some argue that the holistic DO approach is better since it tends to mean the doctor spends more time with patients and may have a slightly better bedside manner. However, doctors trained in both fields vary greatly in their ability to listen and oversee a patient’s overall health.
Often, the way she is at the bedside in a GP’s office is greatly influenced by the number of patients she has to see each day. A high number of patients means less time to listen regardless of the physician’s philosophical background. However, many patients report greater satisfaction with a DO if they feel they need a few more minutes with a doctor than is generally allowed in a typical office visit. Those who suffer from chronic pain often find that this type of medical professional can be of the most help when performing spinal manipulation, which can help reduce pain.
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