Facts on Osteopathic Medicine

In 1874, Dr. A.T. Still, the founder of Osteopathic Medicine, recognized the power of hands-on care and incorporated it into the philosophy of medical care we now call osteopathic medicine.

What is a D.O.?

  • There are two types of complete physicians in the United States. One has a D.O. degree (doctor of osteopathic medicine) and the other has an M.D. degree (doctor of medicine).
  • Both D.O.s and M.D.s must pass a state medical board examination in order to obtain a license and enter practice.
  • D.O.s perform surgery, deliver babies and prescribe medicine in hospitals and clinics across the nation.
  • D.O.s give special attention to how the body's nerves, muscles, bones and organs work together to influence health.

What do D.O.s Do?

  • Doctors of osteopathic medicine, or D.O.s, take a "whole person" approach to patient care.
  • D.O.s consider your physical condition, plus mental and emotional factors (home, work and family) when diagnosing you.
  • In keeping with their holistic approach, you'll find many D.O.s in primary care:
    (FAMILY PRACTICE, INTERNAL MEDICINE, PEDIATRICS AND OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY)

Hands-On Care

  • D.O.s understand how all the body's systems are interconnected and how each one affects the others.
  • D.O.s focus special attention on the musculoskeletal system.
  • D.O.s use their eyes and hands to identify structural problems and to support the body's natural tendency toward health and self-healing.

Osteopathic Manipulation

  • D.O.s bring an added dimension to health care in the form of a non-invasive
    hands-on therapy called Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT).
  • People of all ages and backgrounds have found relief from pain and dysfunction with OMT.
  • D.O.s incorporate OMT in their treatment plans for top athletes and performance artists, workers with on-the-job injuries and hundreds of thousands of people just like you.

For more detailed information on Osteopathic Medicine and D.O.s, please visit:

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC FAMILY PHYSICIANS
AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION