How Do Osteopaths Learn To Be "holistic"?"

[markboonya]

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I am still unsure of what a "holistic" approach to treating a person really means. Do DO's just have a more friendly demeanor than MDs? Do we ask more lifestyle questions (ie taking diet, income, environment other socioeconomics issues of the patient into consideration when formulating a treatment plan?... maybe more of a public health approach?) Are we specifically trained during medical school to do these things? Is there a class titled "how to be a holistic doctor" or is it more of a philosphy that kind of just imbibes its way into our training? I read Gevitz's book and i was wondering if a DO being more holistic than a MD was a thing of the past, since there are virtually no differences between a MD and DO degree anymore... except for OMM of course. It would make sense that MD schools would want to churn out more well-balanced holistic physicians too. Do MD schools not stress it as much?

Any insight would be appreciated, as i am stuggling to clarify to myself and others, just what it means exactly when i say DO's have a "holistic approach to treating patients." My friends and classmates are asking me when i tell them i am applying to DO schools. also, it would be nice to know when secondaries and interviews roll around. i need to find a DO to shadow!

 

[PerryCox]

I am still unsure of what a "holistic" approach to treating a person really means. Do DO's just have a more friendly demeanor than MDs? Do we ask more lifestyle questions (ie taking diet, income, environment other socioeconomics issues of the patient into consideration when formulating a treatment plan?... maybe more of a public health approach?) Are we specifically trained during medical school to do these things? Is there a class titled "how to be a holistic doctor" or is it more of a philosphy that kind of just imbibes its way into our training? I read Gevitz's book and i was wondering if a DO being more holistic than a MD was a thing of the past, since there are virtually no differences between a MD and DO degree anymore... except for OMM of course. It would make sense that MD schools would want to churn out more well-balanced holistic physicians too. Do MD schools not stress it as much?

Any insight would be appreciated, as i am stuggling to clarify to myself and others, just what it means exactly when i say DO's have a "holistic approach to treating patients." My friends and classmates are asking me when i tell them i am applying to DO schools. also, it would be nice to know when secondaries and interviews roll around. i need to find a DO to shadow!

I don't think it's taught at most schools, and I don't think it's something you can teach. Thus, I think the belief that DO school is for holistic physicians and allopathic school is for those who push pills is bull; my own family physician is a DO and I haven't seen her stay in the same room with me for more than a couple minutes. I think DO schools tend to attract many people who are interested in treating patients holistically and many of those people go on to use such a philosophy in their individual practice. But I don't think there are any more DOs that think or practice "holistically" than MDs (in terms of percentage, of course since there are so many more MDs). Thus, I believe it's up to you, and not the school, to learn to treat the patient holistically. One way to do this is to just learn from a good doctor; a good doctor will ask the right questions, search till he finds the underlying cause, etc., assuming he has the time and ability.
Go get em, Newbie. *Scrubs humor* 😛

 

[seacow2001]

I don't think it's taught at most schools, and I don't think it's something you can teach. Thus, I think the belief that DO school is for holistic physicians and allopathic school is for those who push pills is bull; my own family physician is a DO and I haven't seen her stay in the same room with me for more than a couple minutes. I think DO schools tend to attract many people who are interested in treating patients holistically and many of those people go on to use such a philosophy in their individual practice. But I don't think there are any more DOs that think or practice "holistically" than MDs (in terms of percentage, of course since there are so many more MDs). Thus, I believe it's up to you, and not the school, to learn to treat the patient holistically. One way to do this is to just learn from a good doctor; a good doctor will ask the right questions, search till he finds the underlying cause, etc., assuming he has the time and ability.
Go get em, Newbie. *Scrubs humor* 😛

*sob* i wanna be call "newbie" and worry about being the number 1 rookie one day.