They found no significant difference between D.O.
physicians when it came to their time spent with patients, counseling of patients, or preventive care.
D.O.s, like M.D.s, can see patients, prescribe medications, and perform surgeries, according to theU.S.
Heather Hazzan. Wardrobe styling by Ronald Burton. Prop styling by Campbell Pearson. Hair by Hide Suzuki. Makeup by Deanna Melluso at See Management. Shot on location at One Medical.
National Library of Medicine.
You know, the usual doctorly duties.
There are a lot of similarities between the two, but there are also some differences.
Here, well go over a few distinctions between a D.O.
One major difference between an M.D.
iswherethey go to medical school.
programs are accredited by a different body: theLiaison Committee on Medical Education.
In general, M.D.
schools are often considered to be more prestigious.
According to the 2019U.S.
News & World Reportranking of accredited medical schoolsboth conventional (M.D.)
and osteopathic (D.O.
)the top 50 schools in research and primary care were all M.D.
Their ranking included 124 medical schools that were accredited as of 2017 and also submitted information for ranking.
Adding to that, most of the countrys highest-ranked teaching and research hospitals are affiliated with M.D.
schoolsincluding the 20 best in the nation as rated byU.S.
News & World Report.However, its worth noting here when considering these rankings that there are many more M.D.
schools in the country.
In 2018, the average all-coursework GPA for people accepted to and enrolling in D.O.
programs was 3.46, compared to 3.72 for those accepted to M.D.
program these days, which is one reason why some people might be more attracted to a D.O.
This involves entering residency trainingas does getting an M.D.for at least three years, according to theAACOM.
Some will opt to go on to a fellowship program once they finish residency.
Some D.O.s end up matching into osteopathic residencies (accredited by the AOA) while others match into M.D.
residencies (accredited by the ACGME).
However, it may be slightly harder to get accepted into an ACGME-accredited residency when coming from a D.O.
program versus an M.D.
program: While 94.3 percent of M.D.
Certifying boards for D.O.s and M.D.s are generally different, though.
(Despite the residency merger, there are no public plans to fold these boards together.)
Criteria vary across the specialties and subspecialties but usually involve passing an exam.
Training and Philosophy
The main difference in the medical education between the two groups is that D.O.
programs are generally more focused on preventive care.
Thats not to say M.D.s dont also focus on the whole patient, though.
M.D.-granting medical schools understand that patient care is often a complex and personal issue.
While M.D.-granting medical schools focus on traditional evidence-based medicine, their curricula also include holistic approaches.
As we mentioned, theres a lot of overlap.
Focus on the Musculoskeletal System
Another important distinction: The D.O.
Osteopathic manipulative medicine involves hands-on movement of the musculoskeletal system.
For instance, a primary care D.O.
However, not all D.O.s employ OMM on a regular basis.
Overall, it appears as though the number of D.O.s practicing this methodis declining.
In the United States, OMM is just one tool in a D.O.s treatment kit.
But in other countries, a D.O.
(also called an osteopath) is typically someone trained and licensedonlyin the area of OMM, perthe AACOM.
They are not full-practice physicians.
degree thoroughly, he explains.
ranks are growing quickly.
Over the last 10 years, there has been a 158.9 percent increase in D.O.
graduates (compared to a 17 percent increase in M.D.
graduates), according to theACGME.
Why the massive increase?
There [is] a growing number of applicants, and the statistical expectations for M.D.
program are increasingly open to the D.O.
Choosing Your Doctor
You may have zero interest in whether your doctor has an M.D.
or a D.O.or you may have strong feelings about it.
At the end of the day, its more about the individual doctor than the letters after their name.
A degree alone does not give enough information on a doctor’s abilities, Dr. Varshavski says.
In most cases, their degree will really only tell you part of that.
This story has also been updated to reflect 2018 D.O.
matriculant MCAT scores and GPAs.
