What is the difference in philosophy?

[pharm1234]

I have tried to find the difference between allopathic and osteopathic philosophies but I am still not clear. I really would like to know.


"D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care."
From AOA website: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ado_whatis

"While osteopathic and allopathic medical school programs are similar, osteopathy incorporates additional training in musculo-skeletal manipulation and takes a distinct "whole person" approach to consultation, diagnosis, and practice.
Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease.
Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care..."
From TPR website: http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/research/articles/decide/osteoMed.asp

If the statements above are what separates a DO from an MD does it mean that MD's DO NOT DO any of the above, that is MD's DO NOT emphasize preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care, they DO NOT focus on promoting wellness, but focuses on treating symptoms of a disease, etc.???

What is the allopathic philosophy?

OMM is the only clear difference that I know between a DO and MD.

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[drusso]

A few important articles...

Center or Periphery? The Future of Osteopathic Principles and Practices.

Taking Osteopathic Distinctiveness Seriously: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives

Wikipedia Osteopathic Medicine Article

Wikipedia Article on use of the term "allopathic medicine"

Do Osteopathic Physicians Differ in patient interactions compared to allopathic physicians?

Competence Levels in Musculoskeletal Medicine: Comparison of Osteopathic and Allopathic Medical Graduates

 

[HVLA]

Allopathy=Symptomatology is king.

Osteopathy=Pathogenesis is king.

 

[NewNick]

If the statements above are what separates a DO from and MD does it mean that MD's DO NOT DO any of the above, that is MD's DO NOT emphasize preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care, they DO NOT focus on promoting wellness, but focuses on treating symptoms of a disease, etc.???

No, it doesn't mean that. The flaw of this logic is the assumption that there are only two philosophies in medicine and they are totally opposite. MD is a little different compare to DO doesn't mean that MD is totally opposite to DO.

Let me tell you a personal experience to explain more about the "holistic" philosophy. My mom used to have a weird symptom. She got really cold at night when she was sleeping while everyone else felt fine. Sometimes, during the day time, she felt very cold as well. She had seen a few family doctors but they couldn't help her at all. So I suggested her to try Chinese medicine. Its philosophy is "holistic" as well. However, it's a little different than osteopathic philosophy. They explain that there are pathways in the human body wherein Qi flows (invisible material), and those pathways are called meridians, or channels. The diseases are caused by the stagnancy of the Qi flows. Yeah, reading those lines makes you think "it's bull****". I figured that coldness is considered negative in Chinese medicine, to balance it, I must find something positive. I found that ginseng is considered positive. So I bought giseng for her to try. After a week, the symptom was gone. She kept taking it for about a month. Until now, that symptom doesn't come back again. Let's not debate about the explanation of the disease. Perhaps, it was just a lucky shot. However, it works for me. Accupuncture gets more respect in Western medical community, and it bases on that Qi flows. It does work in some cases.

My point is that sometimes when we change the philosophy, the way we solve the problem will be different. OMM in osteopathy doesn't have a solid scientific evidence for any disease (due to my limited knowledge of this field), but according to one professor at COMP (I hope he didn't lie), it works sometimes. However, please don't think that osteopathic med schools will teach you voodoo, herbs, spells, etc. They teach pretty much the same as allopathic schools, just adding OMM.

The paragraph that you mention is only for marketing. It doesn't try to prove that MD doesn't do this or that. It tries to give the difference in the way they approach to some diseases. I think DO philosophy is only used to explain OMM. Everything else is the same as allopathic schools. The quality of DO schools is a different issue and not the purpose of this thread.

 

[homeboy]

any of the ad nauseum "differences" you find posted on AOA sites, or anywhere else for that matter, are as superficial as they are blown out of proportion.
going to DO school isn't going to have life-altering effects on your personal philosophies...conversely, going to MD school isn't going to hinder you from practicing medicine the way you want.
i love it when people use that argument: "i went to DO school because it fell more in line with my personal philosophy..." Bull. In no way is MD school going to prevent you from practicing medicine according to your philosophy.

There is no difference in philosophy; there is only an additional dx / tx modality DOs can incorporate into practice, albeit a variable one (as so few DOs utilize OMM to an extent other than a few patients here and there).

If you're being persuaded to enter osteopathy by some gun-ho DO proponents who argue they are better diagnosticians and physicians because of extra musculoskeletal training, I'd find another mentor. Moreover, the OMM education is variable from school to school, and going "DO" is no guarantee in a good OMM education.

 

[NewNick]

I agree. OMM is not magic, can't cure everything. Personally, I'm curious what it can do. To me, I got nothing to lose if they teach me this technique. It's good to learn something new and be open-minded.

There is no difference in philosophy. If we stop here, then the next question is "philosophy of what ?" Obviously, there is no difference in philosophy of being a good doctor. However, there is a difference in viewing the "whole" person. Of course, when treating a person, every doctor will look at the whole body. For example, for a diabetic patient, eating too much -> more sugar -> hypertension and overload the kidneys. Basically, the mouth affects the kidneys. It's a whole person view, isn't it ? In DO philosophy, OMM is a result of a different view of the whole. It's a small component that is added in medicine. However, OMM is not that valuable. Nobody claims that OMM will be the absolute solution for medicine. However, it challenges the way we look at medicine. Well, let me say this way. It's like buying a new car with a net included in the trunk. Yeah, it's good to have because it has some functions, but most of people don't care, perhaps don't use it. Even the cars without the net in the trunk, people don't feel that they miss anything. For greedy people, anything free is good. However, a free thing also has a price. So in DO schools, you may get something good, but you also lose some. This thread is about philosophy, so I stop here.

The logic to derive that MD doesn't care for patients, doesn't focus on primary care, etc. is wrong simply because of the assumption that MD and DO must against each other.

 

[medicine1]

http://www.tunv.org/Information/TUNCOM_Handbook.pdf

The Philosophy of Osteopathic Medicine -Touro University-Nevada
Osteopathic medicine is a separate and distinct branch of medical practice that is based on a set of philosophic principles and stresses a comprehensive approach to the maintenance of health.The osteopathic medical education is unique in its emphasis on the neuromusculoskeletal system and its utility in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. It is the unobstructed interrelationship of all the body ’ s systems by which we maintain
health and disease is prevented. Founded in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still,M.D.(1828-1917),osteopathic medicine makes use of the following principles that assist theosteopathic physician to look for health,and not simply treat a disease state:

· The human body is a dynamic unit of function.

· The human organism is self-regulating and self-healing.

· Structure (anatomy)and function (physiology)are reciprocally interrelated.

· The function of the musculoskeletal system goes beyond support and may be vital in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Dr.Still ’ s philosophy of health care and his world view resulted in the introduction of some revolutionary concepts for his time:

· The role of the physician is to seek the health of patients,not simply to treat
disease or symptoms.

· The human organism continually strives toward health,and disease is a
disruption of this process.

· Disease in any body system will affect the entire body.

· The work of the physician includes assisting the patient ’ s own body in
fighting disease.

· All qualified individuals,regardless of race or sex,should be given the
opportunity to become a physician. (His was the first medical school of any
type to have an anti-discrimination policy,which it had from its beginning.)

 

[gerido]

I have tried to find the difference between allopathic and osteopathic philosophies but I am still not clear. I really would like to know.


"D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as integrated whole.
Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care."
From AOA website: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ado_whatis

"While osteopathic and allopathic medical school programs are similar, osteopathy incorporates additional training in musculo-skeletal manipulation and takes a distinct "whole person" approach to consultation, diagnosis, and practice.
Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease.
Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care..."
From TPR website: http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/research/articles/decide/osteoMed.asp

If the statements above are what separates a DO from an MD does it mean that MD's DO NOT DO any of the above, that is MD's DO NOT emphasize preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care, they DO NOT focus on promoting wellness, but focuses on treating symptoms of a disease, etc.???

What is the allopathic philosophy?

OMM is the only clear difference that I know between a DO and MD.

There's no major difference. The whole philosophy and holistic argument is BS. It may have been historically true, but MD and DO profession have changed enough that I don't think there's a significant difference in patient care - this is not factoring in the variability of institutional mission (I'm aware of many MD school that focus on rural family med, blah blah blah). Only major difference is OMM. Everything else is bull**** exagerated to keep the two seperate.

 

[homeboy]

There's no major difference. The whole philosophy and holistic argument is BS. It may have been historically true, but MD and DO profession have changed enough that I don't think there's a significant difference in patient care - this is not factoring in the variability of institutional mission (I'm aware of many MD school that focus on rural family med, blah blah blah). Only major difference is OMM. Everything else is bull**** exagerated to keep the two seperate.

I agree entirely, particularly with your acknowledgement that there MAY have been (and probably was) a difference initially, but those differences have dwindled into obscurity.

And I fail to see what the point of "medicine1"s post was...it's merely the text book copy-n-paste you can find on any AOA-governing site.