What is a DO? (additional Fact Sheet)

America’s 60,000 DOs (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) make up 8 percent of the total American physician population. The remaining 92 percent are MDs (Doctor of Medicine). But the balance is beginning to shift. Today, nearly 20 percent of students entering medical school choose osteopathic medicine, compared to just 5 percent nearly 30 years ago. And the recent emphasis on primary care in MD programs is promoting greater overlap between the two philosophies, proving that what’s good for the patient is good for the entire profession of medicine.

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

• DOs complete a four-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on science courses.
• DOs complete four years of basic medical education.
• DOs complete a residency program (typically two to six years of additional training).
• DOs practice in a specialty area of medicine—such as family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, psychiatry, surgery, obstetrics or sports medicine, to name just a few.
• DOs must pass state licensing examinations.
• DOs practice in fully accredited and licensed hospitals and medical centers.
• DOs perform surgery, deliver children, treat patients, and prescribe medications in hospitals and clinic settings.
• DOs train for four semesters of class work and lab study, plus an additional clinical rotation for a month in osteopathic manipulative treatment.
• DOs concentrate on primary care and emphasize a whole-person approach to patient care and disease prevention.
• DOs have the option of pursuing an osteopathic residency program or applying for a residency through the National Residency Match Program typically used by MDs.
• DOs have a strong history of serving rural and underserved areas, often providing care to some of the most economically disadvantaged members of society.

Doctor of Medicine

• MDs complete a four-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on science courses
• MDs complete four years of basic medical education.
• MDs complete a residency program (typically two to six years of additional training).
• MDs practice in a specialty area of medicine—such as family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, psychiatry, surgery, obstetrics or sports medicine, to name just a few.
• MDs must pass state licensing examinations.
• MDs practice in fully accredited and licensed hospitals and medical centers.
• MDs perform surgery, deliver children, treat patients, and prescribe medications in hospitals and clinic settings.