Osteopaths are doctors, but not MDs:

[tblue37]

An osteopath is a doctor. In the U.S. a physician can be either an M.D. (doctor of medicine, also called allopathic medicine) or a D.O. (doctor of osteopathy).

About five percent of American doctors are osteopaths. Both M.D.s and D.O.s go through four years of specialized schooling after college, studying the same subjects, and then get postgraduate training. Osteopathic schools emphasize primary care; thus most osteopaths are family practitioners, internists, gynecologists or pediatricians. Like M.D.s, osteopaths can prescribe drugs and perform surgery in the U.S. In Canada and some other countries, however, osteopaths are not licensed as “physicians.”

Osteopaths differ from M.D.s mainly in that osteopathic medicine stresses the role of the musculoskeletal system in a wide variety of disorders and instructs practitioners in hands-on manipulation treatment. Some osteopaths today, however, do not use manipulation therapy.

https://www.berkeleywellness.com/self-care/preventive-care/article/are-osteopaths-doctors

[bullimiami]

1. I think there is a basic lack of understanding what a DO is.

I had a DO primary care physician for years.
Provided excellent care, never suggested anything about manipulation or anything specifically osteopathic.

[Demsrule86]

2. I did too. And my daughter was having headaches...she had this procedure which aligned her spine

special machine and boy did it work. I like DO's because they treat the person not the body part. Loved my doctor and was very sad when he retired at 83.

[Alliepoo]

5. I also had a DO as my PCP for years

And received the most wonderful care! I so wish I could still have her as my doc (insurance changes). She offered relief to my back pain through heat and manipulation that I’ve never received since with an MD.

[MineralMan]

3. Old prejudices die hard.

These days, D.O.s receive equivalent training as M.D.s do. That was not always the case, though. So, Osteopaths were denied admitting privileges at many hospitals in the past. That has changed, now that their educations are equivalent.

[dalton99a]

10. There was a prolonged power struggle between MDs and DOs

The old DOs were basically stubborn old goats who refused to join the American Medical Association.

DOs were numerous in California. In the 1960s the California Medical Association tried to force them out of business and convert them to MDs for a $65 filing fee.

They fought and won and were allowed to keep their separate identity and their own state licensing board (Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons v. California Medical Association).

The accreditation agencies in charge of training for MDs and DOs had a merger several years ago. Now there is only one set of residency and fellowship programs for both sides, open to all MDs and DOs - at the end, the exact same specialty board certification exams.

[MineralMan]

11. Yes. I remember that from the 60s.

My family doctor was a D.O. In my junior year in my small town California high school, I was selected to be the school's foreign exchange student for the following year. It was all very exciting, since it would mean that I would get a chance to spend a school year in some other country.

The requirements from whatever body controlled exchange students included a physical exam by a doctor. So, naturally, my family doctor performed the exam. A couple of months later, I got a letter denying me for the exchange, since my physical exam was conducted by a D.O. rather than a "physician." By that time, it was too late to have a new physical exam done, so there was no exchange student from my high school the next year.

That got me started learning about the MD/DO controversy.

[tblue37]

4. I posted this because too many posts here are claiming osteopaths are not "real" doctors.

They ARE real doctors.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. My primary care physician is a doctor of osteopathy.

I love her! We're true partners with my health. I've promised to follow her advice if she will do her best to allow me to keep my vitality in old age. I take about 15 different natural supplements and vitamins and she's cool with that. She even recommended a more efficient form of magnesium for me. When my naturopath was still in this area, they worked in tandem.

[Towlie]

7. doctor + pseudoscience equals D.O. (doctor of osteopathy)

They remind me of weight-loss products that contain legitimate weight-loss ingredients plus magical herbs that do nothing. It sounds like clever marketing: Apply the P. T. Barnum principle of "a little something for everybody" by accommodating the science deniers with some added mysticism.

[dalton99a]

12. You don't know what you're talking about.

There is a good chance you will be taken care of by a DO in the ER (most people don't even know it).

If you don't want them to touch you, wear a BIG wristband that says that

There are plenty of DOs in military medicine taking care of people in uniform

[Towlie]

15. With all due respect, it seems YOU don't know what I'm talking about.

Maybe you'll get good care from a DO but you'll also probably lose weight if you buy the weight-loss stuff that includes the magical herbs. The difference is that afterward you'll tell everyone how well the magical herbs worked.

[dalton99a]

16. Now you are confusing them with naturopaths and Herbalife

[yardwork]

19. This is false.

[Ms. Toad]

21. DOs pass the EXACT SAME licensing exam as MDs

before they are allowed to practice medcine. They have the exact same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as any other physician (whehter trained as an MD or a DO) who has passed the licensing exam in that state.

None of the osteopaths who have been my primary care physicians over the years has trafficked in science denial or mysticism.

The Cleveland Clinic, like other major medical facilities, employes specialists who are osteopaths - such as these

Neurology
vascular surgery
infectious disease, and otolaryngology

The Cleveland Clinic, in fact, trains osteopathic doctors. Although the specialists I directly retained at the Cleveland Clinic happened to all be MDs, in each of the above specialty treatment, osteopathic interns and residents were part of my care team.

But, I guess people come from all over the world to be treated with hocus pocus at the Cleveland Clinic.

You are embarassing yourself by continuing this unfounded attack against respected members of the medical community.

[dalton99a]

8. U.S. osteopaths are physicians. Osteopaths in other countries (e.g. UK) don't go to med school

From a Bible of medicine called Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, of which Fauci is an author:

PART I INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE

...

Osteopathic Medicine.

Founded in 1892 in the American heartland by the physician Andrew Taylor Still, osteopathic medicine was based originally on the belief that manipulation of soft tissue and bone can correct a wide range of diseases of the musculoskeletal and other organ systems. Over the ensuing century, osteopathy evolved progressively towards conventional (allopathic) medicine. Today, the training, practice, credentialing, licensure, and reimbursement of osteopathic physicians is virtually indistinguishable from those of allopathic physicians, with 4 years of osteopathic medical school followed by specialty and subspecialty training and certification by organizations such as the American Board of Internal Medicine. Some osteopathic physicians continue to practice spinal manipulation, primarily as a tool to address specific musculoskeletal complaints.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

9. There's lots of DOs in Maine

I think that's because we only have one medical school in Maine and it is University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. I think like half of the new residents at CMMC are DOs.

[Happy Hoosier]

13. I am deeply suspicious of them....

My Dad’s DO advised a diet change when my Dad presented with bloody diarrhea. No tests... nothing. He was 70. This went on for 6 months. I finally convinced him to see my MD. Colon Cancer. He was in an OR three days later. Unfortunately, despite post-op Chemo, it metastasticized and my Dad died a little over a year later. That “doctor” killed my Dad.

[yardwork]

20. There are bad doctors who are M.D.s too.

[Happy Hoosier]

24. Of course, but...

This happened to my Dad, and being already suspicious of them, I’m not inclined to risk my health. This DO’s error aligned with what I was concerned about DO’s (namely that they do not perform appropriate tests when called for) I do not stick with doctors that do not strike me as competent.

[Ms. Toad]

22. I had the reverse with several MDs

He ignored my daughter's bloody diarrhea for a full year, and finally handed me a phone book and wished me good luck in finding someone who would take my overprotective mom concerns seriously.

In that year, her mild ulcerative colitis changed into severe pancolitis (entire colon involvement) - and she has an associated disease that will ultimately require a liver transplant that might not have developed - had her UC been treated appropriately when I initially shared that she was incontinent overnight (a classic preesentation for ulcerative colitis.)

I'm not deeply suspicious of MDs, merely because this particular MD (and 3 others I have had to fire) was an idiot. Although my two favorite doctors in the world happen to be MDs, I've never even come close to needing to fire any of the DOs who have treated me.

[SharonClark]

14. Des Moines University is an osteopathic medical school.

from Wikipedia. . .
Des Moines University (DMU) is a private osteopathic medical school in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is the second oldest osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. DMU offers eight academic degrees, including osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, health care administration, public health, anatomy and biomedical sciences. There are over 14,000 total alumni.

DMU is building a new campus in West Des Moines. From the Des Moines Register. . .

"The answer is, simply, our vision to provide our students, faculty and staff with the finest possible experiences that ensure we deliver a top-tier education, robust research activity and the finest clinical services," she said. "To do that, we needed a bold new plan and a fresh start."

The new location is over three times larger than the existing campus, which occupies 24 acres. The school attempted to expand on that site in 2018, adding a new parking lot and a generator, but was rebuffed by neighbors concerned about flooding.

Needless to say, we have a lot of DOs in Iowa.

[dalton99a]

17. DOs are a common sight in hospitals in the Midwest, Oklahoma, Texas

There are public (state-supported) DO schools in many states e.g. Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio, etc.

[cwydro]

18. Thanks!

Settles an argument I was having with a friend lol!

[tinrobot]

23. Trump likes to pick quack doctors and/or osteopaths.

Dr. Ronny was horrid, as was Trump's long haired Dr. Feelgood in NYC. Both were MDs.

His current quack is a DO.

They're all bad.

That said, DO's can do just about anything and MD can do, including surgery. There are some really great ones out there who do a lot of good. Too bad Trump is shining his UV light on a quack.