2007-01-26 03:49:50 · 3 answers · asked by chuck G 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
A D.O is a Doctor of Osteopathy. A doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) is a physician licensed to perform surgery and prescribe medication. Like an M.D., an osteopath completes 4 years of medical school and can choose to practice in any specialty of medicine. However, osteopaths receive an additional 300 to 500 hours in the study of hands-on manual medicine and the body's musculoskeletal system.
Osteopathic medicine is dedicated to treating and healing the entire patient as a whole, rather than focusing on one system or body part.
2007-01-26 03:55:42 · answer #1 · answered by tah_map 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you're like most people, you've been going to a physician ever since you were born and perhaps were not aware whether you were seeing a D.O. (osteopathic physician) or an M.D. (allopathic physician). You may not even be aware that there are two types of complete physicians in the United States.
The fact is that both D.O.s and M.D.s are fully qualified physicians licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery. Is there any difference between these two kinds of physicians? Yes. And no.
D.O.s and M.D.s are alike in many ways:
Applicants to both D.O. and M.D. medical colleges typically have four-year undergraduate degrees with an emphasis on scientific courses.
Both D.O.s and M.D.s complete four years of basic medical education.
After medical school, both D.O.s and M.D.s obtain graduate medical education through such programs as internships and residencies. This training typically lasts three to six years and prepares D.O.s and M.D.s to practice a specialty.
Both D.O.s and M.D.s can choose to practice in any specialty area of medicine-such as pediatrics, family practice, psychiatry, surgery or obstetrics.
D.O.s and M.D.s must pass comparable examinations to obtain state licenses.
D.O.s and M.D.s both practice in fully accredited and licensed health care facilities.
Together, D.O.s and M.D.s enhance the state of health care available in America.
D.O.s, however, belong to a separate yet equal branch of American medical care. It is the ways that D.O.s and M.D.s are different that can bring an extra dimension to your family's health care.
More Than a Century of Unique Care
Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of American medical care that was started in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O. Dr. Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness of 19th century medicine. He believed that many of the medications of his day were useless or even harmful. Dr. Still was one of the first in his time to study the attributes of good health so that he could better understand the process of disease
2007-01-26 16:34:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know I had one when I was having a baby.I dont even know what the D.o. stands for.I did ask what the difference was from a D.O.and a MD.People told me a regular dr, has about Lets say 8yrs of school where as a D.O. only has to go about 6yrs. Plus they are cheaper,I had to have a c-section and the dr. I had was great.
2007-01-26 12:05:02 · answer #3 · answered by Leneki 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋