Originally posted by Bmblee888
He began to tell me that osteopathic manipulation are exactly like chiropractic adjustments.
FALSE
Chiropractors focus on spinal lesions. Osteopathic manipulation can focus on all areas of the body.
Then he went on to say that DOs have really gotten away from manipulations and now practice more and more like allopathic physicians.
TRUE
Many DOs do not use OMM in their practices.
He said the bad thing about being a DO is that the MD community does not really "recognize" DOs as physicians while the chiropractic community does not accept DOs as true users of manipulative medicine.
FALSE
The MD community fully recognizes DOs. As stated above DOs and chiropractors have different approaches to manipulation.
He says MDs always refer patients to chiropractors for adjustments, but they never send patients to DOs.
PARTIALLY TRUE
There are not that many DOs who do solely OMM or use it as a large part of their practice, so this may be the reason for fewer referalls. Chiropractors are a dime a dozen. The DOs who do use manipulation are VERY highly recommended by MDs. There are DOs who use OMM who get referrals from MDs and DOs all the time...sometimes as a last resort when other treatments fail.
It was like he was telling me that DOs are a sham... In the end, he was telling me to forget about DO school and go to chiropractic school. (because according to him, both curriculums were very "similar")
FALSE
The curriculum for chiropractic school does not include any hospital based residency. There is more anatomical focus and manipulation in chiropractic school whereas DO schools have nearly identical curricula to MD schools (with the OMM added in). As a DO you can specialize in any medical field that you choose.
I don't know what to think about what he told me. For some reason I feel I should just disregard his comments. It seems to me that maybe his motives for telling me to go into chiropractics is because he feels threatened by DOs? Do many chiropractors (and other health professionals) really have that negative of an opinion of DOs?
I know chiropractors who have no problem with DOs. I know a chiropractor who works in an office with several DOs. Mutual respect. Of course, the fields are vastly differeny in many ways.
Chiropractic spurred off of Osteopathy in the late 1800's. They don't tell you that at chiropractic school, but the history is well documented and dates don't lie.
There is little negative opinion about DOs outside the premedical community (the most ignorant and loudest voice on these message boards...no offense).
I want to be a DO because I want to be a PHYSICIAN. I want to treat patients MEDICALLY, not just cracking their backs to make them stand straighter.
A well respected DO once told me this. The difference between chiropractors and a DO who does manipulation is that the chiropractor will have you come back repeatedly for periodic "adjustments". This, of course, can span several weeks, months, years. As a DO, if after a few treatments...several months at the most, hopefully...if the patient still needs to see me for the same problem, then I have not done my job.
In other words. DOs use manipulation to treat and hopefully cure an acute or chronic problem. Chiropractors may have some of this intent, but often chiropractors (nearly all that I have been exposed to) recommend repeated visits or visiting when something "acts up".
Do your research.
Best of luck to you.
