By: Gracie Gelnett, Staff Writer
Many people do not initially know the difference between DOs and MDs. DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, while MD refers to Medical Doctor. Both are doctors who are certified to treat patients, but the training for each varies and creates the differences found between them.
Osteopathic medicine is seen as a more holistic approach that is aimed at treating the whole body and not just the specific symptoms the patient presents. On the other hand, MDs study allopathic medicine, aimed at treating the symptoms present within the patient through drugs, surgery and other forms of traditional treatment. Even though each program seems to focus on a different form of medicine, the timeline and required curriculum is basically the same for all medical students.
Medical students complete the required four years of medical school where they will learn the general and in-depth knowledge that is needed for hands on interactions seen in clinical rotations. The main difference in these four years for DO medical students is the reception of extra training that revolves around the holistic approach.
This training is centralized around creating and enhancing the students understanding of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). OMT can be used in many different ways to treat mechanical pain, diagnose a patient and treat diseases. OMT is a hands-on approach that allows DOs to push and manipulate the body into its “normal” state, thus promoting proper healing and balance within the body.
While this is the largest difference, there is of course the fact that DO medical students are taught to lean towards the overall holistic approach by evaluating all aspects of the patient’s life to treat them in the best of their abilities. This can be done by evaluating the patient’s whole body to note if another part of the body can be affecting the diagnoses, accounting for the patient’s lifestyle or documenting the patient’s mental health to note how it may affect their physical health.
Georgetown student Harper Williams, a future Doctor of Osteopathy, shared her opinion in regard to DO and MDs, stating, “Choosing to pursue DO medicine over MD was a carefully thought decision for me. I was more attracted to DO because I want to promote overall well-being of a patient by using a holistic approach to their health. Choosing DO also allows me to stay and practice in rural areas where most residents require long term healthcare and solutions.”
There is no question that both DOs and MDs go through many years of training and have an abundance number of resources to treat patients. While there are merits to both, the DO program provides medical students with a more diversified education on a wider range of medical topics.
Now, when you find that you are being treated by a DO or MD, you are aware of the difference that you may not have known before. With this information, you may be able to piece together you own opinion on if you would prefer DO or MD.
Categories: Opinion
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