MD vs DO (Allopathic vs Osteopathic medicine)
What's the difference between an MD and a DO?
So what’s the difference between allopathic and osteopathic (MD vs DO)? I’m going to make this as simple and short as possible:
DIfferences:
-MD is what we traditionally refer to as a doctor. They go to traditional medical schools (allopathic)
-DO is a relatively new (over a 100 years) “type” of doctor. These doctors go to osteopathic school.
-MD physicians typically do not use as integrated an approach to their patients as DOs do
-DO physicians really stress the idea of mind, body, and soul. They also integrate
manipulative techniques (as someone once explained it to me, an MD will look at your foot while a DO will roll a ball under it first)
-MD can practice virtually anywhere outside the US
-DOs are fully licensed to work in the US and are gaining rights to practice outside the US. There are more limits on DOs practicing outside the US than MDs
-MD schools are harder to get into than DO schools
-DO schools are easier to get into than MD schools (it’s important to note, however, that osteopathic schools are really increasing their admissions screening. A few years ago, it was not uncommon for a student to get into a DO school with a 23 with the average MCAT score being around a 25. Now many DO schools have increased their average to 28)
-95% of MD students match for residency
-75% of DO students match for residency
Similarities:
-They’re both real doctors
-They both go through the same medical education (if anything, DOs go through more in the sense that that also dedicate a small portion of their curriculum to manipulative techniques.
-They both take the same national exams
-They can both go into the same medical specialities
-And lastly, they both suffer from the stresses of medical school along with its debt.
Hopefully that clears things up!
So what’s the difference between allopathic and osteopathic (MD vs DO)? I’m going to make this as simple and short as possible:
DIfferences:
-MD is what we traditionally refer to as a doctor. They go to traditional medical schools (allopathic)
-DO is a relatively new (over a 100 years) “type” of doctor. These doctors go to osteopathic school.
-MD physicians typically do not use as integrated an approach to their patients as DOs do
-DO physicians really stress the idea of mind, body, and soul. They also integrate
manipulative techniques (as someone once explained it to me, an MD will look at your foot while a DO will roll a ball under it first)
-MD can practice virtually anywhere outside the US
-DOs are fully licensed to work in the US and are gaining rights to practice outside the US. There are more limits on DOs practicing outside the US than MDs
-MD schools are harder to get into than DO schools
-DO schools are easier to get into than MD schools (it’s important to note, however, that osteopathic schools are really increasing their admissions screening. A few years ago, it was not uncommon for a student to get into a DO school with a 23 with the average MCAT score being around a 25. Now many DO schools have increased their average to 28)
-95% of MD students match for residency
-75% of DO students match for residency
Similarities:
-They’re both real doctors
-They both go through the same medical education (if anything, DOs go through more in the sense that that also dedicate a small portion of their curriculum to manipulative techniques.
-They both take the same national exams
-They can both go into the same medical specialities
-And lastly, they both suffer from the stresses of medical school along with its debt.
Hopefully that clears things up!
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