What's the Difference Between a MD (Medical Doctor) and a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine)?
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When one decides to become a doctor, there are actually two ways to achieve the title of doctor and practice medicine. One can become a medical doctor (MD) or a doctor of osteopathy (DO). Both licenses allow one to practice medicine and have equally rigorous testing. The differences between an MD and a DO lie primarily in philosophy on how to practice medicine.
Both MDs and DOs tend to begin training by getting a four-year undergraduate degree, either in pre-med, or in a related science field. Each type of doctor will then complete four years of training before taking examinations that will result in licensure. Either type of doctor may then choose to specialize in a particular field and study for two to six more years. The doctor who specializes will then take further examinations to be licensed by the board of his or her specialty.
In most cases, the four years of medical school are quite similar. However the DO receives training in the muscular and skeletal system, and also in muscular and skeletal manipulation. A doctor who is a DO tends to evaluate a person’s health in terms of viewing the body as a complex related network. Any disease affects the whole body. The MD, conversely, may evaluate the disease in terms of how it affects certain parts of the body only.
A doctor of osteopathy is less likely to specialize than an MD, because emphasis in training is given to preventative care and on the philosophy of taking time with patients to assess their total health and total health needs. This does not mean that the DO cannot prescribe medicines and treat a disease with equal competency. It does however mean that the DO may consider alternative approaches to treating disease, and may be more apt to consider the disease as a dysfunction of the total working of the body.
The DO also practices osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT), which means slight manipulations of the spine or simply laying hands on the body to confirm diagnosis. This method of diagnosis may take slightly more time than that of the traditional MD symptoms and tests diagnosis.
There are fewer DOs than MDs currently, but the field of DOs is expanding. Some patients prefer the greater length of time a DO spends, but others prefer the less “touchy/feely” approach of the MD. In either field a doctor can be incredibly competent, and some MDs are just as concerned about total health as DOs. Often doctor’s offices may now offer a choice of an MD or DO as a primary care doctor so patients can choose the approach that best fits their view of medicine.
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33
It is silly to compare MDs and D.Os. Every group has outstanding physicians and their share of less than competent individuals.
Most undergrads apply everywhere and take the school that accepts them. Even the best schools graduate a few idiots and the less prestigious schools graduate some great physicians. A physician based on their abilities is better than a graduate admitted because of affirmative action quotas. - anon53537
32
Yeah, I wonder what intelligence and aptitude have to do with medicine?
Please, all of my friends who applied to DO schools also applied to MD schools, and would have killed to get into one. If you want to put your life in the hands of an ex-frat boy who doesn't know his butt from his elbow, but "is more personable", feel free to see a DO.
- anon53464
31
Yare all a bunch of crazy people. I have worked extensively with both DOs and MDs, and they all receive the same training. they all can be equally competent or incompetent. The quality of your physician, whether an MD or DO, and their practice will be based on their attitude and experience. An MD can screw up as often as a DO and vice versa.
If you believe that illness is a problem of the entire Dody system, then go see a DO. If you would like to treat the symptoms, and hopefully relieve the illness, see an MD. DOs typically look at the whole system and look for what is causing the illness, while and MD treats from the symptom, outward. This is a general philosophy, and each doctor will be different. Choose a doctor based on his/her competence and compassion, not on his/her sheepskin. Choosing a doctor by the letters behind their name is like picking a car by the color of paint. It's all in the preference. Grow up people! - anon52876
30
M.D.'s and D.O.'s are both equally qualified physicians and/or surgeons. Both complete four years of undergraduate medical education, both complete the same graduate medical education (residencies) in the same facilities, and both pass the same licensing exams.
Choose your physician based on the recommendations from previous patients or other physicians, not based on the two letters after the name. - anon52274
29
I recently worked with a D.O. for a back injury. after two months of intense p.t. she claimed that i was at a plateau with my back, so she released me. two weeks later, after a walk, i bent down to untie my shoes and my back gave out! back at square one! needless to say, i won't be going back to her. she didn't listen to my opinion, which was that i felt my body wasn't ready yet! - anon52009
28
I just found this site now because I was researching lung doctors because I was not happy with the one I had several years ago. I did not know until I just checked that he is a DO. It left a bad impression with me.
I will stick to MD's thank you. I don't need someone to tell me my total body is out of whack. I already know that. I'm want my symptoms treated because I got a cold in September and it won't leave my lungs. - anon51751
27
I got on here to find out what the difference was between a M.D. and a D.O. but all I got was a bunch of people arguing about who was smarter. All I can add is, I just came from the ER where my MD had sent me to with orders and was told by a DO that they don't pay any attention to the doctor's orders, so needless to say, I was not put in the hospital as my MD had ordered, but given a breathing treatment and an IV of steroids and sent home. they did say I could come back if I started feeling worse later. So I have decided I will stick with my MD. - anon50491
26
I have a 3.93 GPA and 33 MCAT, applied to both types of schools, and got accepted to both. I chose the DO school because of the attitudes of the current students when I went to interview. They were, as a whole, there because they wanted to help people, and were so incredibly positive and friendly. Many of them wandered over during the day to chat and see if we needed anything. Many of those interviewing at the all schools were arrogant, and cocky, and the attending students ignored those of us there to interview. So, I suppose you will find more DOs in free clinics because they truly care about their fellow beings. And, you will find the competitive, arrogant ones in the high paying specialties because they also really care, only they care about the money more. In reality, it does not matter whether the name is followed by MD or DO because basically the training is the same. What matters is how good the individual is. Research the individual, ignore the letters. If you have a good rapport, and the person is well regarded and competent, then you have a winner. - anon49797
25
I am wondering if my D.O. is truly qualified, or if he just failed to gain acceptance into a medical school. He has always been very quick to write a prescription and give injection shots. I have diabetes and he has never recommended that I see an endocrinologist. - anon47565
24
M.D.'s and D.O.'s are both physicians with an equal arsenal to heal a patient, it just depends on how dedicated the physician is, not DO or MD. Just because one got a 28 on the MCAT vs a 30 does not clearly make the 30 better, it just means he took that test better. They are both equally as qualified. - anon46876
23
I had been taking Nexium for acid reflux for 10 years and my MD insisted it had no side effects. My bone density test showed I was heading towards osteoprosis in my 40s. I couldn't understand why since I take a lot of calcium. My current doctor saw my tests and said I was losing bone density because of the side effect from Nexium. I did not know she was a DO at the time. I have been working with her for the last two years and I think she is the best doctor I have ever met. If all DOs are as good as my doctor, I would recommend always going to a DO. - anon43394
22
I have suffered severely with fibromyalgia for years. Fibromyalgia is a muscle/skeletal disorder, accompanied with debilitating fatique, bowel agitation, headaches, and diminished cognitive issues. For ten years I was successfully treated by very patient MDs. My recent MD of five years no longer practices so I have been searching for a new family physician. I saw a young, female, DO. She did not only refuse to treat my disorder and symptoms, she wouldn't even shake my hand! I am appalled to read that DOs are supposedly "hands-on", as that is the preliminary guide for diagnosis. She is a disaster, I would never see another DO. - anon43339
21
I work with an MD and a DO in a breast cancer surgical practice. We do volumetric ultrasounds (only 40 of these devices worldwide and 21 in the nation), u/s biopsies, stereotactic biopsies, skin punches, radiation baloon placement post-surg, etc. Our DO has been at our practice for just over a year and *still* is unable to insert and smoothly deploy for a wire loc (J-Wire/Hawkins Wire) without the aide of our MD. This DO is a surgeon as well. When a simple pre-surg wire is a struggle, when the stereotactic coordinates are in place and the DO changes the approach, it will be wrong. Then the MD is called in to the rescue to find out why it doesn't look right. Both doctors have great bedside manner and take time to answer our patients' questions. Or I'll do it. When choosing a doctor, no one with cancer really cares how the doctor's bedside manner is as long as they get treated. They don't care if they don't sit in the room for an hour, delaying other cancer patients (like the DO does) listening to how the cat broke it's leg and has to be put down. When it comes to medicine, the patient comes first and when selecting a specialist, go for the one with the most experience. People have a choice. It's like choosing a religion. Do you go for the tried-and-true religion that's been around centuries or the new hip mianstream guy down the road who thought starting a religion would be a great idea? Pick who you feel serves you the best. It's your body and if possible, google your doc! Our MD gets an unfathomable amount of patients via internet. I'm curious to know what it's like to get "Googled". - anon43160
20
MD's are the biggest drug dealers in the country. 70 percent of MD's prescribe pills based on what the pill sales person tells them to. My wife has been to over 50 MD's and they have caused her more diseases from the side effects of the pills they prescribed for one symptom. MD's control the AMA and the FDA and that is why we are such a unhealthy nation. - anon43064
19
the DO in my daughter's pediatric office has misdiagnosed my daughter twice. i will only see the MD now. - anon42941
18
DO's are similar to chiropractors. - anon42808
17
If a student finishes his medical school and is getting ready for residency and fails to pass the tests, what are his options? Could he enter a DO school and not have to go the entire course? - anon41193
16
Actually it's a very uneducated opinion that MDs are better than DO's or that MD schools are harder to get in. It's all based on how new the school is, whether it's an MD school or a DO school. New schools in general have a lower standard for the MCAT. You can score lower for newer schools, and it has nothing to do with DO or MD. They're both equally hard to get into nowadays. The D.O. program hasn't been around as long as the MD program which is why people think it's better, which in reality in a few years D.O. doctors are in fact projected to be better than MD doctors being that they look at the entire body with a sickness instead of just that area like MD doctors do and DO doctors learn about the manipulation of the body on top of all the MD stuff so D.O. doctors actually do more than MD doctors and they make the exact same amount of money. Get your facts straight before making random posts about something you don't know. and I know this because I have relatives that are both MDs and DOs both doing equally good. - anon41049
15
Do D.O.s and M.D.s make the same amount of money? I mean they are both doctors doing the same work so one would expect they would. Anyone know the answer? - anon40920
14
anon30216: D.O. school is medical school. They are called schools/colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, as opposed to schools of Allopathic mecicine (where M.D.'s come from). Both types of physician receive almost exactly the same training these days, the only difference being that D.O.s receive extra training in manipulation of the muskuloskeletal system. There are only about 20 D.O. schools in the U.S. compared to over 120 M.D. schools, but the field is growing. D.O. schools were started in the 19th century by an M.D. who was tired of seeing people poisoned by mercury "medication" among other cutting-edge medications of the time (sound like chemotherapy to anyone?). Since then, modern medications have made all kinds of progress and are now trusted by both philosophies. The only real difference between an M.D. and a D.O. is the basic philosophical foundation of the medical school that they attend. - anon39953
13
"Most dos are dos because they couldn't get into medical school"?
Now, osteopathic medicine is not a med school? You are wrong. At the end a DO can get into allopathic residency and become better off than the proud background "md" student. at the end they're both physicians with a different background. - anon39593
12
For people who say MD schools are harder to get into then DO programs, if both DO's and MD's do the same thing when they are finished, that says to me that MD schools are setting the bar too high. From my research, the difference I see is that a DO will spend more time with a patient than a MD, and a DO has more knowledge of the whole body. Being a DO was started by a MD over a 100 years ago because he didn't like the way medicine was operating. There are more MD's, but I think the DO is slightly more qualified, or at least in my opinion. If I'm seriously ill, if both people are qualified to address me, I want the person who's going to put more time in. - anon39489
10
Yes. MD schools are harder to get into than DO programs, but that has nothing to do with how good a doctor you're going to be. Down the line, it just comes to work ethic. Some people find out after college that they want to go to med school, but can't go erase that college transcript. If you work hard and want to be good, doesn't matter if you're a DO or an MD, you're a physician. - anon38463
9
The tone of the article appears to pump up DO's at the expense of MD's...example being MD's "only looking at certain body parts". Fact is, MD schools have stricter entrance requirements as far as grades and entrance exam scores. Compare the average GPA and MCAT of their entering classes...there's no debate. Also, the thing about DO's choosing to specialize in primary care...well, training for advanced specialties (Plastic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiology, etc) are competitive to enter even among physicians! The DO graduates may not be considered qualified to enter these advanced residencies/fellowships by their respective admissions committees. Furthermore, if a DO trains at an MD residency, they will NOT be using their "manipulation" skills that the author seems to take pride in. - anon37604
8
Wow! I thought I had found the answer by reading this article but there is a lot of bickering back & forth. I've been seeing my doctor, which is a DO for 6 years. Personally, I love her. My girlfriend, however, thinks she sucks and has been trying to coax me into finding an MD as my primary care. I lke the rapport I have w/my doctor. I have found it to be true that MD's "rush..." but I've also seen MD's that were great, so now I'm really torn. My doctor does tend to recommend I see "specialist" a great deal. (I suffer from High Blood pressure & recently have been told possibly Hypothyroidism)I've been reluctant to switch doctors, but if anyone can give me a little bit better insight beteen the 2 (DO vs. MD) I'd appreciate it. - anon36755
7
Thanks for the explanation. It is in line with my research and helped to clarify the difference in philosophy aside from training. I trust board certification, education and experience more than an MD or DO title. In my experience, any doctor that impresses me is a find, and I strongly suggest *lots* of research before deciding on a doctor. - anon35787
6
My experience with MDs has been awful. They rush and don't listen to me.On the other hand, I have a super DO, who listens and works at treating not just the main complaint, but my entire body. Yes, results are slower and I get impatient, but I feel overall healthier and happier. If you have a need to be listened to and heard...DO. If you just want pills and be rushed through and talked down to...MD. - anon34904
5
Posted by: anon30216-apparently this comment is very uneducated in the world of DO and MD.It is just as difficult to get the DO degree as an MD. Please understand the hard work for both before posting "guesses". - anon34604
4
anon32114 - unfortunately, anon30216 is correct in the fact that it is more difficult to get into a medical schools' MD program than DO program. please research several well-known schools (grab the top 10 in the US News rankings, for instance). you will see that the statement is, in fact, true.personally, as a patient, i have found it easier to work with an MD when my problem is more clear - symptom relief comes quicker. However, I have witnessed others who do well with DOs when their symptoms do not clearly point to a cause. - anon34552
3
an30216 Your comments are not true. Both go through the same type of medical training. DOs often do their residencies or internships in the same locations as MDs. They both have rigorous state certifications. The main difference is in their philosophy of treatment and how to treat individuals. - anon32114
2
I actually thought this answer was very informative and unbiased. It didn't favor either one, leaving it to the patient to decide. In fact, it helped me decide between an MD and a DO (which I had never heard of, by the way) based on what I am most comfortable with. - anon30624
1
Why do you make it sound like a D.O. is better than an M.D.? M.D.'s are superior to D.O.'s. It is harder to get into M.D. school and M.D.'s are trained in every aspect of medical care. D.O.'s are fine but definitely not better to M.D.'s. In fact, most D.O.'s are D.O.'s because they couldn't get into medical school. - anon30216
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Tricia Ellis-Christensen
Last Modified: 22 November 2009
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