Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) practice medicine with a whole-person, patient-centered approach focusing on prevention and wellness. About 11% of physicians in the United States are DOs, and they practice in every specialty in medicine (primary care, surgery, neurology, radiology, anesthesiology, dermatology, etc.). The osteopathic medical curriculum teaches medical students to diagnose by symptoms and also understand how lifestyle and environmental factors impact wellness and disease processes.
Ever since starting school, I loved learning. I was looking for a challenging career that would incorporate my love of math and science while meeting my overarching need to contribute significantly to society and help people. When I learned about osteopathic medicine, I immediately researched everything I could find about osteopathic medicine. Here are the tenets:
The body is a unit. A person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit.
The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance.
Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
Rational treatment requires understanding the principles of body unity, self-regulation, and this interrelationship of structure and function.
Modern medicine is shifting. Osteopathic medicine is continually growing each year. Allopathic physicians (MDs) are beginning to catch on as they increasingly embrace holistic care and health promotion like DOs have for years. Many allopathic physicians seek additional education to learn osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and preventative care techniques. Functional medicine, for example, is a growing field that aims to address the root cause of illness with a systems-based approach. Doctors everywhere are more often looking for ways to personalize care. I could not be more excited to participate in medical training during such an exciting time.
Physicians in the United States have a DO degree or an MD degree. What is the difference between a DO and an MD? There are many similarities with the material covered in osteopathic and allopathic schools, with similar overall quality of care provided by DOs and MDs. DOs and MDs use traditional physical exam techniques (listening to heart and lungs, testing muscle strength, etc.). In addition to the basic physical exam, DOs utilize additional techniques called osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), also called osteopathic manipulative technique or treatment (OMT). DOs learn these specialized hands-on techniques that aid in diagnosis and treatment. DOs and MDs both use more traditional methods of diagnosis. However, DOs are the only physicians who use these additional tools (unless an MD receives additional training in OMM). DOs are generally more comfortable addressing musculoskeletal complaints because of their training in palpatory skills and hands-on techniques. Most OMM techniques treat the musculoskeletal system or use muscles and soft tissue to treat problems indirectly. From an outsider's point of view, these techniques may look like physical therapy. However, these techniques are not limited to the treatment of joints and muscles; they can also target systems like the lymphatics and the nervous system. DOs have a unique position in healthcare as doctors with a thorough understanding of holistic health and the skills to perform hands-on techniques.
Unfortunately, many DOs trained with this philosophy of treating patients can lose sight of the importance of holistic care after completing rotations and residency. DOs and MDs train together, so mentors and preceptors for resident and early career DOs are likely MDs. This consequence means that patients may not receive holistic care when treated by a DO. Most of the time, you cannot tell the difference between a DO and an MD. To some, this is progress since DOs used to be treated as second-class physicians until recently (after decades of proving that patients can expect the same level of high-quality care). I am so fortunate to be training to be an osteopathic physician when my osteopathic medical training would not be held against me when applying for residencies or finding a job. However, it is unfortunate when DOs forget their unique training and emulate MDs, especially since many MDs seek additional training to learn OMM and follow the tenets of osteopathic medicine in their practice.
The osteopathic medical profession needs more enthusiastic doctors who embrace the philosophy of osteopathic medicine and seek to be healthcare leaders. People should know the option to see an osteopathic medicine physician who can take a more holistic approach without compromising on high-quality, evidence-based medicine.
For more on osteopathic medicine, listen to my episode with the same title as this article (episode 2 of First Line).
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