What Is a DO?
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is a fully licensed physician who practices medicine across the full spectrum of healthcare, with an additional emphasis on whole-person, patient-centered care.
Simply Put: A DO Is a Physician
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine are fully licensed physicians in the United States. Like MDs, DOs can diagnose illness, prescribe medications, perform procedures and surgery, and practice in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings.
What distinguishes osteopathic medicine is the additional emphasis placed on the whole person, prevention, the relationship between structure and function, and osteopathic principles and practice.
DOs Can Practice Medicine Across the Spectrum
DOs are not limited to primary care. They practice in virtually every medical and surgical specialty.
Medical Education
Four years of medical school followed by graduate medical education.
Comprehensive Training
Training in biomedical and clinical sciences, with additional osteopathic education.
Every Specialty
DOs practice in primary care, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and more.
Licensed Physicians
DOs meet state licensing requirements to practice medicine.
What Makes DOs Distinctive?
Osteopathic medicine adds a distinctive perspective to comprehensive medical care.
Whole-Person Approach
DOs are trained to look beyond individual symptoms and consider the patient's overall health, lifestyle, environment, and well-being.
Prevention & Wellness
Osteopathic medical education emphasizes prevention and helping patients maintain health — not simply treating illness after it occurs.
Musculoskeletal Education
DOs receive additional education in the musculoskeletal system and osteopathic principles and practice.
DO vs. MD: What's the Difference?
DOs and MDs are both fully licensed physicians. Their medical education, training, and practice have many similarities, with osteopathic medicine adding its distinctive approach.
MD — Doctor of Medicine
Physicians who earn a Doctor of Medicine degree complete comprehensive medical education and can practice throughout the medical profession.
- Four years of medical school
- Graduate medical education
- Can practice in all specialties
- Can prescribe medications and perform surgery
DO — Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
DOs complete comprehensive medical education while receiving additional education in osteopathic principles, the musculoskeletal system, and osteopathic manipulative medicine.
- Four years of osteopathic medical school
- Graduate medical education
- Can practice in all specialties
- Can prescribe medications and perform surgery
- Additional osteopathic education
Where Do DOs Practice?
Osteopathic physicians practice throughout the healthcare system and across medical and surgical specialties.
What Is Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment?
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a hands-on approach that appropriately trained DOs may use as part of patient care. It uses manual techniques to evaluate and address certain musculoskeletal and other conditions.
How Does a DO Become a Physician?
Becoming a DO requires extensive medical education, clinical training, and postgraduate specialty training.
Medical School
Complete four years of osteopathic medical education, including classroom, laboratory, and clinical training.
Licensing
Complete the required medical licensing examinations and meet state requirements for physician licensure.
Residency & Fellowship
Complete postgraduate training in a chosen medical specialty, with fellowship training when applicable.
Common Misconception
“DOs are not fully qualified physicians and can only practice certain types of medicine.”
The Fact
DOs are fully licensed physicians who can practice medicine and surgery across the full range of medical specialties.
The DO Difference
DOs combine comprehensive medical education with a distinctive osteopathic approach to patient care — emphasizing the whole person, prevention, and the connection between the body's structure and function.
Find a DO in Massachusetts
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