Considering Osteopathic Medicine

"In the United States, there are only two types of medical schools – allopathic (grants M.D. degree) and osteopathic (grants D.O. degree). The Osteopathic profession is a minority profession and consists of approximately 16% of the practicing clinicians in our country. In the past, a majority of osteopathic physicians practiced primary care (family medicine, general internal medicine, and pediatrics) and tended to establish clinics in under served or rural areas. Although this is slowly changing today, many schools of osteopathic medicine still lead the nation in the development of primary care physicians. All schools of osteopathic medicine continue to embrace the basic tenets of Dr. Andrew Taylor Still and incorporate these concepts within the curriculum. All students in osteopathic medicine learn the traditional medicine curriculum plus develop competencies in osteopathic manipulative medicine, a form of manual medicine originally developed by Dr. Still and continuously enhanced by the profession. The philosophy of osteopathic medicine, first enunciated by Dr. Still in 1874, is still true today. Osteopathic medicine continues to emphasize preventative medicine, a holistic approach to patient care, and empowering the patient to strive toward health and not disease."