What is a DO?

[pharmacology]

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I'm a Ph.D. I don't really know what a DO is. I know what an MD is. How does a DO differ from an MD? If an MD and DO end up at the same hospital, practicing side by side do they do anything different? If different treatment...then how? Why should I chose a DO over an MD or visa versa? And if there basically is no real difference when a DO and an MD practice side by side in the hospital then why have an OM in the first place?.....is there a purpose? I'm assuming, perhaps wrongly, that med school was around first. So what is the reason for having an osteopathic school if they turn out doctors who practice the exact same what an MD does. Or is the DO method of practice greatly different from an MD?

I ask this because I've heard some say they are basically the same....others say they are different. If the same then why two different types of schools? If they are different then different how? Should I ask my doctor if he is an MD or DO. Is it important to know if one is an MD or DO? Do I want MD treatment or DO treatment? Is it important that patients know if you are an MD or a DO?

 

[sistermike]

I'm a Ph.D. I don't really know what a DO is. I know what an MD is. How does a DO differ from an MD? If an MD and DO end up at the same hospital, practicing side by side do they do anything different? If different treatment...then how? Why should I chose a DO over an MD or visa versa? And if there basically is no real difference when a DO and an MD practice side by side in the hospital then why have an OM in the first place?.....is there a purpose? I'm assuming, perhaps wrongly, that med school was around first. So what is the reason for having an osteopathic school if they turn out doctors who practice the exact same what an MD does. Or is the DO method of practice greatly different from an MD?

I ask this because I've heard some say they are basically the same....others say they are different. If the same then why two different types of schools? If they are different then different how? Should I ask my doctor if he is an MD or DO. Is it important to know if one is an MD or DO? Do I want MD treatment or DO treatment? Is it important that patients know if you are an MD or a DO?

This question has been beaten to death.. seriously! Do a search for it if you are really that concerned. That question has been answered too many times to count on this forum. Or you could look at the MD vs. DO sticky threat at the top of this forum, or go online and look.

 

[smc927]

I find it curious you say you don't really know what a D.O. is yet you know the terms "osteopathic school" and "OM" which are very particular.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I'm a Ph.D. I don't really know what a DO is. I know what an MD is. How does a DO differ from an MD? If an MD and DO end up at the same hospital, practicing side by side do they do anything different? If different treatment...then how? Why should I chose a DO over an MD or visa versa? And if there basically is no real difference when a DO and an MD practice side by side in the hospital then why have an OM in the first place?.....is there a purpose? I'm assuming, perhaps wrongly, that med school was around first. So what is the reason for having an osteopathic school if they turn out doctors who practice the exact same what an MD does. Or is the DO method of practice greatly different from an MD?

I ask this because I've heard some say they are basically the same....others say they are different. If the same then why two different types of schools? If they are different then different how? Should I ask my doctor if he is an MD or DO. Is it important to know if one is an MD or DO? Do I want MD treatment or DO treatment? Is it important that patients know if you are an MD or a DO?

troll

 

[tkim]

I'm a Ph.D. I don't really know what a DO is. I know what an MD is. How does a DO differ from an MD? If an MD and DO end up at the same hospital, practicing side by side do they do anything different? If different treatment...then how? Why should I chose a DO over an MD or visa versa? And if there basically is no real difference when a DO and an MD practice side by side in the hospital then why have an OM in the first place?.....is there a purpose? I'm assuming, perhaps wrongly, that med school was around first. So what is the reason for having an osteopathic school if they turn out doctors who practice the exact same what an MD does. Or is the DO method of practice greatly different from an MD?

I ask this because I've heard some say they are basically the same....others say they are different. If the same then why two different types of schools? If they are different then different how? Should I ask my doctor if he is an MD or DO. Is it important to know if one is an MD or DO? Do I want MD treatment or DO treatment? Is it important that patients know if you are an MD or a DO?

Here's a thread that will hopefully answer most of your questions:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=89324

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[dr.z]

Also go to www.aacom.org. You can learn more about the DO profession. If you understand the history of how DOs came about, you'll understand more about them.

 

[DO it right]

I find it curious you say you don't really know what a D.O. is yet you know the terms "osteopathic school" and "OM" which are very particular.

proof read your post next time to make sure you didn't leave behind any evidence.

 

[pharmacology]

I am not a troll

Thank you Dr.z and Tkim....I appreciate your assistance. Our pharmacy school has just formed an affiliation with a SOM and I may use their facilities to do my research. So I thought it prudent that I at least learn a little bit about the profession. I didn't want to look stupid there.....so I thought I would look stupid here and ask a question. I'm not sure why others thought I was a troll...I hope they are more helpful when they treat patients!

My background.....undergrad (1978) and MS at a school with a health science center and a medical school. Ph.D at MD Anderson Cancer center...with UT med school and Baylor Med School. Post docs at 2 med schools. Teaching and research at non-med school affiliated pharmacy schools (2). All I know is med school......that is why I asked what I thought was a reasonable question. I thought I would ask those that better understand the profession. I didn't mean to offend anyone by asking what they do or want to do in the future.

 

[organichemistry]

I am not a troll

Thank you Dr.z and Tkim....I appreciate your assistance. Our pharmacy school has just formed an affiliation with a SOM and I may use their facilities to do my research. So I thought it prudent that I at least learn a little bit about the profession. I didn't want to look stupid there.....so I thought I would look stupid here and ask a question. I'm not sure why others thought I was a troll...I hope they are more helpful when they treat patients!

My background.....undergrad (1978) and MS at a school with a health science center and a medical school. Ph.D at MD Anderson Cancer center...with UT med school and Baylor Med School. Post docs at 2 med schools. Teaching and research at non-med school affiliated pharmacy schools (2). All I know is med school......that is why I asked what I thought was a reasonable question. I thought I would ask those that better understand the profession. I didn't mean to offend anyone by asking what they do or want to do in the future.

you'll have to excuse these folks. they feel that whenever someone comes here asking for MD/DO comparisons, the ultimate goal is to undermine their degree. but at the same i can't fault them for reacting like this because more times than not (it seems) people do put down the DO degree below the MD degree.

i guess i'm really at the bottom of the barrell since i'm just going to be a dentist.

 

[Nate]

With all that background in research you just zipped right by the sticky post on the top of this forum with the FAQ which easilly would lead you to answers to all your questions which have been discussed at least a hundred times. And by the way, the school where DOs learn medicine IS a medical school.

 

[pharmacology]

Sorry Nate you are correct....SOM is a medical school. Perhaps I should have used....allopathic med school. (never really heard of allopathic until we got involved with the osteopathic....lol.

And the reason I did not look at the sticky.....I was more interested in being told quickly what it is rather than go about researching what an OD is. Infact I read some of the OD vs MD thinking I would learn something. They turned out to be p^ssing matches. So I decided to just ask a simple question thinking I would get a simple answer.

I have no idea why some of you are jumping on me or being rude to me. Perhaps where you come from there are loads and loads of OD's. I have never ever been attend to by an OD....I have never in my life every met an OD until just a few months ago. As for research, there are around 37K practicing OD's.....there are 780K practicing MD's.......OD's represent 5% of all medical doctors in the US. I ask a simple question about a group that makes up only 5% of the total physicians in the US and some on you think I should know all and know every about it. Let me tell you.....the majority of the US knows about an MD's and very little if anything about an OD. So you better at least stop jumping on people who ask questions about what you do. Perhaps it is just this site because there is a lot of OD/MD bashing. But I didn't come here bash or to get sarcastic remarks throw at or to have people be rude to me. sheesh some of you need top grow up. Not all outsiders here think MD's are gods and OD's are crap......hell some of us like myself knows barely what you do!

 

[PharmDr.]

its DO not OD...I know you meant DO, but others will automatically discredit your post and demean you for this. Take care

Jon N. CPhT.

 

[hylacinerea]

Sorry Nate you are correct....SOM is a medical school. Perhaps I should have used....allopathic med school. (never really heard of allopathic until we got involved with the osteopathic....lol.

And the reason I did not look at the sticky.....I was more interested in being told quickly what it is rather than go about researching what an OD is. Infact I read some of the OD vs MD thinking I would learn something. They turned out to be p^ssing matches. So I decided to just ask a simple question thinking I would get a simple answer.

I have no idea why some of you are jumping on me or being rude to me. Perhaps where you come from there are loads and loads of OD's. I have never ever been attend to by an OD....I have never in my life every met an OD until just a few months ago. As for research, there are around 37K practicing OD's.....there are 780K practicing MD's.......OD's represent 5% of all medical doctors in the US. I ask a simple question about a group that makes up only 5% of the total physicians in the US and some on you think I should know all and know every about it. Let me tell you.....the majority of the US knows about an MD's and very little if anything about an OD. So you better at least stop jumping on people who ask questions about what you do. Perhaps it is just this site because there is a lot of OD/MD bashing. But I didn't come here bash or to get sarcastic remarks throw at or to have people be rude to me. sheesh some of you need top grow up. Not all outsiders here think MD's are gods and OD's are crap......hell some of us like myself knows barely what you do!

I love this one, "I've never been treated by a DO, I don't know any DOs" I cant tell you how many times people have said this to me and I always respond with, "Well have you ever been to Dr. X? Yes, well congratulations you've been treated by a DO and didn't even know it!" I've even been guilty of this myself. I didn't realize that a doctor I saw several times as a teenager was a DO.

Truth is most people don't realize whether they're seeing a DO or MD and most probably don't care (unless, of course, you make a habit out of checking the diploma on the wall before the doctor sees you). But, as pharmacology pointed out, he didn't even know about DOs until recently, so why would he think to ask what degree his doctor had.

Cheers

 

[Nate]

I apologize if I came off rude to you, but the simple question you ask has no simple answer. It would take a long thought out essay to explain and even then it would be subject to opinions and perception. Even so, it has already been written many times over which is why you are not getting a quick and easy answer. You want to know what a DO is. A DO is a US medical doctor who is trained at a medical school. More than that is history and specifics on training which you will have to read else where. I recommend “The DOs” by Gevitz or the AACOM website.

I agree with the previous post by hylacinerea; I too was treated by a DO as my primary care physician for over a year and the facts that she was a doc, treated me well, and gave me the medicine I needed when I was sick was good enough for me. I later realized the significance of her degree.

Good luck to you

 

[horizontalchew]

I'm a Ph.D. I don't really know what a DO is. I know what an MD is. How does a DO differ from an MD? If an MD and DO end up at the same hospital, practicing side by side do they do anything different? If different treatment...then how? Why should I chose a DO over an MD or visa versa? And if there basically is no real difference when a DO and an MD practice side by side in the hospital then why have an OM in the first place?.....is there a purpose? I'm assuming, perhaps wrongly, that med school was around first. So what is the reason for having an osteopathic school if they turn out doctors who practice the exact same what an MD does. Or is the DO method of practice greatly different from an MD?

I ask this because I've heard some say they are basically the same....others say they are different. If the same then why two different types of schools? If they are different then different how? Should I ask my doctor if he is an MD or DO. Is it important to know if one is an MD or DO? Do I want MD treatment or DO treatment? Is it important that patients know if you are an MD or a DO?

I want to end this discussion.

A DO is a nurse that can prescribe medicine and admit some patients.

The end.

 

[Nate]

🙄
It was bound to happen sooner or later, bashing professions on these forums is not permitted.

 

[tkim]

Yep - it always ends this way.