MD vs DO: What’s the Difference?
DOs take a holistic approach to care
DOs take a holistic approach to care
When it’s time to choose a doctor, you may notice MD or DO after their name. You may ask: what’s the difference?
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine while DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are licensed to practice medicine in all 50 states. They can diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medicine and perform surgeries.
MDs and DOs train together in residency programs. Medical school education is very similar for both.
In the past, people viewed MDs and DOs differently. MDs were more recognized, while DOs were seen as different due to their focus on holistic and musculoskeletal care.
Today, most patients see little difference between these two types of doctors and feel comfortable receiving care from either one.
“The biggest misconception about a doctor of osteopathic medicine used to be that we were not real physicians,” says Immanuel Hausig, DO, a family medicine physician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center Carlsbad. “In reality, a DO has the same training has an MD, in addition to specialized training in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions with our hands.”
Most doctors are MDs, but the number of DOs is increasing. In 2023, there were nearly 150,000 DOs in the United States, according to the American Osteopathic Association.
Training for DOs and MDs
Becoming an MD or a DO requires extensive training focused on medical skills and patient care. Both must complete four years of medical school in addition to an internship, residency and possible fellowship and must take state licensing exams to practice medicine.
Training for MDs follows the traditional allopathic approach, which focuses on diagnosing diseases and treating symptoms primarily through medications and surgery.
Training for DOs combines allopathic training with additional focus on the body’s musculoskeletal system.
DO students are trained in osteopathic principles and practice, including the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). This hands-on approach helps in diagnosing and treating illnesses, enhancing patient care and supporting the body’s natural tendency toward health and self-healing.
“During medical school, we spend time learning how to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal issues with our hands,” explains Dr. Hausig. “In our third and fourth years, we also have rotations with OMT specialists.”
Licensing and board examinations
Both MD and DO graduates must pass licensing exams. MDs usually take the USMLE, which has three parts. DOs must pass the COMLEX-USA to get their medical licenses.
Residency and specialization opportunities
After passing their exams, both MDs and DOs begin residency programs for hands-on experience. They can choose from many fields. Some options are surgery, primary care and psychiatry. More than half of DOs practice in primary care, focusing on internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics.
Many DOs choose their specific training path because it aligns with their personal and professional philosophies about health and patient care.
“I decided to become a DO because I was drawn to the osteopathic philosophy,” says Dr. Hausig. “The core of our philosophy is that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself. As DO physicians, we support this self-healing mechanism with lifestyle modifications, medications if needed and the correction of structural imbalances through osteopathic manipulation.”