What Is an Osteopath Doctor?

Osteopathic doctors (D.O.s), like medical doctors (MDs), attend medical school for four years; they are licensed to perform medicine, prescribe medications, and perform surgery. In addition, osteopathic doctors undergo 300 to 500 extra hours of training in practical hands-on manual medicine and the musculoskeletal system. Their approach is to the whole patient, rather than just component systems and organs.

History

• Osteopathy was founded after the American Civil War by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, an American medical doctor who was appalled at the medical practices he observed during the war. He began the American School of Osteopathy in 1892 to focus on preventative medicine, the body's natural ability to heal itself, and the importance of muscles and bones in overall body health.

Osteopathic Manipulative Movement

• The manual hands-on training osteopaths receive allows them to assess the health and functioning of the muscles and underlying bones. It also allows them to use the information to make diagnoses to treat illnesses and injuries. They do not do chiropractic-like manipulations.

Occurrence

• As of 2007, there were more than 41,000 osteopathic doctors in the United States, which is about five percent of the physician population. Osteopathic medical schools train D.O.s in primary care medicine, so over 50 percent of osteopaths practice in basic areas, such as obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine.