D.O.
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Physician education and training in the United States

Stages Pre-medical Med school Sub-internship Internship Residency Fellowship Board certification Licensure Continuing medical education Pathways Medicine (MD) Osteopathic (DO) International (IMG) Fifth Pathway Degrees Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine MD/PhD or DO/PhD Comparison Exams MCAT COMLEX Step 1, 2CE, 2PE, 3 USMLE Step 1, 2CK, 2CS, 3 Regulatory bodies Association of American Medical Colleges American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine National Resident Matching Program National Matching Service Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Liaison Committee on Medical Education Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education American Osteopathic Association American Medical Association Student groups American Medical Student Association Alpha Omega Alpha Sigma Sigma Phi Student National Medical Association Lists Medical schools Specialty colleges

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Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O. or DO) is an academic degree offered in the United States. It is a graduate-level first professional degree for physicians and surgeons, requiring four years to complete. Holders of the D.O. degree are known as osteopathic medical physicians. D.O.s are trained much in the same way as M.D.s, with the addition of osteopathic manipulative medicine techniques.

In the United States, the D.O. and the M.D. are the only two degrees permitting licensure as medical physicians. D.O and M.D. physicians have similar training (both requiring four years of training in the basic and clinical sciences and the successful completion of licensing exams). Osteopathic medical physicians receive additional training in Osteopathic Manual Manipulation. Although U.S. osteopathic medical physicians currently may obtain licensure in 47 countries, osteopathic curricula in countries other than the United States differ. In some countries outside of the United States, D.O.s are known as "osteopaths" and while their scope of practice includes some conventional medical therapies, they rely more exclusively on osteopathic manipulative medicine and other alternative medical modalities.

See also: Osteopathic medicine in the United States and Comparison of M.D. and D.O.

International variations in the D.O. degree

In the United States, doctors of osteopathic medicine are physicians who are also trained in osteopathic manipulative medicine.

Main article: Osteopathic medicine in the United States

In France, Germany,and Switzerland, some osteopathic practitioners are M.D.s who take additional courses in osteopathy after completing their medical training. In the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, “osteopaths" are trained in osteopathic principles and osteopathic manipulative treatment but are not physicians.

According to the BIOMEA, in most countries outside the United States, D.O. stands for “diploma of osteopathy,” not “doctor of osteopathic medicine.” The difference is that osteopaths are not trained or licensed as physicians, and therefore do not carry the same practice rights, such as surgery and prescribing medication. However, osteopaths in some countries do act as primary care providers, coordinating treatment with fully licensed primary care physicians.¹

International practice rights

International practice rights of U.S. trained D.O.s      Practice rights generally recognized as equal to U.S.-M.D.s      Unlimited practice rights granted, but difficult to obtain      Limited to manipulation-only      Unknown or previously denied

Every country has different requirements and a different way of licensing or registering osteopathic physicians and osteopaths. The only osteopathic practitioners that the U.S. Department of Education recognizes as physicians are graduates of osteopathic medical colleges in the United States.² Therefore, osteopaths who have trained outside the United States are not eligible for medical licensure in the United States. On the other hand, US-trained D.O.s are currently able to practice in 45 countries with full medical rights and in several others with restricted rights.

The following is a table of International Practice Rights of U.S trained Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, as listed by the American Osteopathic Association.³ An update of this listing was released in December 2007.⁴

See also

• List of Osteopathic Medical Schools

References

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External links

• US-Trained DOs in Ireland. American Osteopathic Association President's Blog. [5]

One D.O. 's description on " What Is A DO ? "