Debunking the myths about Osteopathic Medicine

In my experience of applying to medical schools, I have come across a lot of prospective medical students who are unsure of which medical track to apply for. The most popular option best known to majority pre-medical students through their family members, friends, or primary care physician (since it is hard to tell the difference between a DO/MD in a clinical setting) is the allopathic or MD route. However, I feel that the osteopathic track, i.e. Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) perhaps does not get the same level of recognition or pre-med committees need to do more to educate prospective students regarding this 2nd type of medical schools in the U.S. Perhaps a common misconception among students hesitant to apply solely to DO schools is that DOs are students who do not get accepted into MD programs due to poor grades or a low MCAT score and that as a U.S. trained DO, they would be unable to volunteer internationally or specialize in their field of choice. However, the osteopathic philosophy has been around since the 1800s and according to the American Osteopathic Association, there are currently over 73,000 osteopathic physicians in practice in the United States and according to American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), more than 20 percent of new medical students in the U.S. are training to be osteopathic physicians. A wonderful guide to Osteopathic Medicine created by two current DO students for prospective medical students can be found at the following link: http://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/cib/bgom.pdf

Additionally, a US-licensed DO can prescribe medications, practice, and pursue medical specialties in the same manner that MDs do. In my own experiences of shadowing DO’s and in conversing with one of my mentors who is currently pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine, DOs have the option of taking the USMLE in addition to passing the COMPLEX exam required exclusively of DO students to be eligible to apply for allopathic residency programs. Also, the implementation of a single GME accreditation system in July of 2020, will allow graduates of osteopathic and allopathic medical schools to complete their residency and/or fellowship education in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, ACGME-accredited programs and demonstrate achievement of common milestones and competencies. Through osteopathic-focused residency programs, the new system will recognize the unique full-body approach tenets and practices of the osteopathic medical profession and its significant contributions to health care. (See: http://www.osteopathic.org/inside-aoa/single-gme-accreditation-system/Pages/default.aspx)

I have a friend who is currently a 3rd year DO student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Georgia Campus. She has a very inspiring blog that I would love to share with aspiring physicians (http://www.aspiringminoritydoctor.com). In her blog she explains her love and passion for medicine in addition to providing useful tips on how to succeed before and during medical school. In speaking with Danielle, she expressed and stated her interest in applying to DO schools which resonates with my own goals of reducing over-prescribing, allowing the body to selfheal through applications of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), and in utilizing scientific-based evidence in the effective treatment of pain.

So I hope that through this blog, I can encourage some if not most of you to consider DO programs as your medical school of choice. With 33 accredited osteopathic colleges in the United States with impressive rankings, numerous forums on SDN, and college recruitment events, students now have the knowledge and power at their fingertips to not fall for the common myths surrounding DO programs and hopefully they can make a well-informed decision regarding which medical track works best for their future goals.