Doctors who practice osteopathic medicine, known as ODs, are the new kids on the block when compared to medical doctors, or MDs. American physician Andrew Taylor Still developed osteopathy and the American Osteopathic School, the first school to offer training in osteopathy, opened in 1892. According to the National Osteopathic Association, more than 10,000 students are enrolled in the 20 colleges in the United States that offer training in osteopathic medicine.

Why Choose an Osteopathic Doctor?

Training to practice osteopathic manipulative medicine is quite similar to the training that medical doctors receive. As undergraduates, both types of doctors graduate from a four year college or university with a degree in one of the sciences. After receiving their undergraduate degrees, potential doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy must complete four years of basic medicine in medical school.

After finishing medical school, both types of doctors complete a residency program. Then, they can finally choose a specialty. Like MDs, ODs can become specialists in surgery, family medicine or psychiatry. After completing all of their training, both must be accredited and licensed in the state in which they want to practice.

ODs also receive additional training beyond MDs about humans’ skeletons, muscles and nerves, or the musculoskeletal system. This gives ODs the knowledge that they need to practice osteopathic manipulative treatments, or OMT.

In the past, the differences between ODs and MDs were quite clear. ODs approached the patient as a whole and emphasized preventative care while MDs focused on treating symptoms of illnesses. However, today, the lines between the two types of practices has blurred as both types of physicians want to help their patients stay healthy and prevent illnesses from occurring. The main practical difference between the two types of physicians is that ODs may use osteopathic manipulative medicine on the body as part of a patient’s treatment.

Picking a Physician

The steps that you would take in choosing an OD are the same as if you were choosing an MD. You would want to pick a doctor who is accredited and licensed, who has a good reputation in his or her specialty and who is covered by your insurance policy. Try and get a reference from someone that you trust and check to see if the physician has been sued or disciplined in the past.

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