Is there a difference between the word osteopathy and osteopathic medicine?

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tqtraq

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Sorry if it's a ridiculous question, but I tried to look it up online and it has mixed answers, can someone clear this up?

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Personally I would stick to osteopathic medicine. You can't go wrong there! Osteopathy in other countries (I think) entails a very different profession.
 
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Osteopathy and osteopathic medicine are one in the same.
 
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Sorry if it's a ridiculous question, but I tried to look it up online and it has mixed answers, can someone clear this up?

In the old days the Diploma used to read "Doctor of Osteopathy" today its "Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine".
 
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Osteopathic medicine is derived from osteopathy, but technically they are two different thing. When Andrew Taylor Still founded the American School of Osteopathy in 1892, it was founded on, essentially, three of the four tenants:
1. The body is a dynamic unit.
2. The body possesses self healing and self regulatory mechanisms.
3. Structure and function are interconnected at all levels.

At the time medicines were worse for people than the diseases themselves, causing severe dehydration, loss of blood, and even death. It wasn't until the production of Salvarsan in 1910 or, really, the production of penicillin in the 1930's that medications were effective means of treating disease. It was at this time that osteopathic medicine became what it is today, as the manipulative techniques were used in conjunction with proven medical treatments.

We had a whole history on osteopathy during our orientation haha. Hope that helps!
 
Osteopathic medicine is derived from osteopathy, but technically they are two different thing. When Andrew Taylor Still founded the American School of Osteopathy in 1892, it was founded on, essentially, three of the four tenants:
1. The body is a dynamic unit.
2. The body possesses self healing and self regulatory mechanisms.
3. Structure and function are interconnected at all levels.

At the time medicines were worse for people than the diseases themselves, causing severe dehydration, loss of blood, and even death. It wasn't until the production of Salvarsan in 1910 or, really, the production of penicillin in the 1930's that medications were effective means of treating disease. It was at this time that osteopathic medicine became what it is today, as the manipulative techniques were used in conjunction with proven medical treatments.

We had a whole history on osteopathy during our orientation haha. Hope that helps!

All of this is true, but you have to remember when A.T. Still formed his first college ATSU he had to comply with the governor in implementing the same medical courses every other MD school was teaching. He initially wanted nothing to do with the treatment of diseases with medication, but they still had to teach the methods from the very beginning.
 
At one point "osteopath" was the same thing, but now "osteopathic physician" is preferred to help people recognize DOs are "real doctors." Some of the old school folks still prefer "osteopath," but it's fallen out of favor with the AOA and most of the newer physicians.

1. The body is a dynamic unit.
2. The body possesses self healing and self regulatory mechanisms.
3. Structure and function are interconnected at all levels.
4. Rational treatment is based upon an understanding of the basic principles of body unity, self-regulation, and the interrelationship of structure and function.

Just adding the fourth to be educational.
 
Well if an interviewer asks why osteopathy or why osteopathic medicine, is it the same? can you use the terms interchangeably
 
Well if an interviewer asks why osteopathy or why osteopathic medicine, is it the same? can you use the terms interchangeably

They are not going to do that, back in the day, they used "Doctor of Osteopathy" because the field was not much different that Chiropractic Medicine, but over the years schools stepped up their basic science education and clinical education to where the actual practice of DO is not that different from an MD, still some discrimination remains against DOs.

DOs have had full practice rights in the US in all 50 US states since 1989, in Canada it has been more recent, but some Canadian provinces have very strict rules about licensing DOs, and some still refuse to grant them medical licenses.
 
I just don't like the term because it's confused with homeopath, but they can be used interchangeably.
 
I just don't like the term because it's confused with homeopath, but they can be used interchangeably.

That is why they modernized it to "Osteopathic Medicine".
 
Use Osteopathic Medicine, not Osteopathy. You'll hear people say "osteopaths" and "osteopathy". If they're older, just ignore it, because those were the terms used in the past.

All of this is true, but you have to remember when A.T. Still formed his first college ATSU he had to comply with the governor in implementing the same medical courses every other MD school was teaching. He initially wanted nothing to do with the treatment of diseases with medication, but they still had to teach the methods from the very beginning.

No they didn't. At the time he taught absolutely nothing about "medicine". The primary courses were anatomy and "physiology" (which is pretty much what all medical schools taught at the time) followed by clinicals. Still staunchly opposed "medicine" in terms of pharmacologic interventions, and as a result didn't teach it. When the ASO was founded, he was actually given the charter to grant an MD degree, but changed it to Diplomat of Osteopathy (DO). At the time there was very little government oversight in medical training (most MD granting institutions were actually terrible and degree-mills), and it wasn't until after the Flexnor report in 1910 that that significantly changed.

American Colleges of Osteopathy changed to incorporate pharmacologic treatment after Still's death, when his students actually recognized the benefit to pharmacologic treatment (this was when medicine started to show some benefit). In other countries, colleges of osteopathy stayed the way they had been when Still first founded the profession. As a result, "osteopaths" and "osteopathy" in those countries is seen as akin to Chiropractics.

Well if an interviewer asks why osteopathy or why osteopathic medicine, is it the same? can you use the terms interchangeably

The interviewer might. You shouldn't. Its osteopathic medicine and osteopathy physician (or just DO) now.
 
Use Osteopathic Medicine, not Osteopathy. You'll hear people say "osteopaths" and "osteopathy". If they're older, just ignore it, because those were the terms used in the past.



No they didn't. At the time he taught absolutely nothing about "medicine". The primary courses were anatomy and "physiology" (which is pretty much what all medical schools taught at the time) followed by clinicals. Still staunchly opposed "medicine" in terms of pharmacologic interventions, and as a result didn't teach it. When the ASO was founded, he was actually given the charter to grant an MD degree, but changed it to Diplomat of Osteopathy (DO). At the time there was very little government oversight in medical training (most MD granting institutions were actually terrible and degree-mills), and it wasn't until after the Flexnor report in 1910 that that significantly changed.

American Colleges of Osteopathy changed to incorporate pharmacologic treatment after Still's death, when his students actually recognized the benefit to pharmacologic treatment (this was when medicine started to show some benefit). In other countries, colleges of osteopathy stayed the way they had been when Still first founded the profession. As a result, "osteopaths" and "osteopathy" in those countries is seen as akin to Chiropractics.



The interviewer might. You shouldn't. Its osteopathic medicine and osteopathy physician (or just DO) now.

I am just quoting the book "The DOs..." It specifically states that the governor would not grant Still the ability to open a medical school unless he complied with the common curriculum taught in M.D. Medical schools. Still wanted nothing to do with it, you are absolutely right, but he still had to implement it. I can get you the direct citation if you'd like.
 
I am just quoting the book "The DOs..." It specifically states that the governor would not grant Still the ability to open a medical school unless he complied with the common curriculum taught in M.D. Medical schools. Still wanted nothing to do with it, you are absolutely right, but he still had to implement it. I can get you the direct citation if you'd like.

The curriculum did not include "medicine". Still fought very strongly for it not to, and it didn't when he was in charge. In fact the curriculum only included anatomy and clinic in the first couple years. It expanded to include other courses, but the use of medicine was not one of them. You can read more about it here: http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2094686 (by the author of "The DOs").

The state wanted to define it as a medical school, but they passed legislation to modify that definition. The requirements of medical schools at the time were actually focused on anatomy and physiology. Very little teaching on "medicine" in terms of pharmacology actually existed at that time. And again like I said, Still hated the idea of it, even so much as to consider those who practiced "medicine" alongside osteopathy as betraying him.
 
The curriculum did not include "medicine". Still fought very strongly for it not to, and it didn't when he was in charge. In fact the curriculum only included anatomy and clinic in the first couple years. It expanded to include other courses, but the use of medicine was not one of them. You can read more about it here: http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2094686 (by the author of "The DOs").

The state wanted to define it as a medical school, but they passed legislation to modify that definition. The requirements of medical schools at the time were actually focused on anatomy and physiology. Very little teaching on "medicine" in terms of pharmacology actually existed at that time. And again like I said, Still hated the idea of it, even so much as to consider those who practiced "medicine" alongside osteopathy as betraying him.

"Stone's veto and the urgings of Smith and others who had urged that the DOs training was incomplete finally convinced Still that he had to make changes. By the end of 1896 he had formally lengthened the course of study to four terms of five months each, and at dedication ceremonies of a new college building he announced, "I am now prepared to teach anatomy, physiology, surgery, theory and practice, also midwifery in that form that has proven itself to be an honor to the profession." Several months later the school published a more detailed course outline that also included histology, chemistry, urinalysis, toxicology, pathology, and symptomatology. Thereafter Still's supporters maintained that every subject covered in a standard medical college, with the exception of materia medica, was taught at the American School of Osteopathy." "The DOs: Osteopathic Medicine in America" p. 31-32.

I never mentioned medicine as a specific in his teachings. I was saying that he taught everything that a normal medical school was teaching during those times, it even says in the book "with the exception of materia medica."
 
I am not sure how extensive the phrase "doctor of osteopathic medicine" is used in a legal context, but when I looked at some of the most recent state laws regarding physician-assisted suicide, a "physician" was simply defined as "doctor of medicine or osteopathy".
 
Because osteopathy is the term used in federal regulations (dating back to 1956 when Congress passed the law authorizing the DoD to appoint DOs as medical officers).
 
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