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OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE U.S.A.

 

There are currently 30 osteopathic medical schools in the United States in 28 states.  Some of these medical schools are attached to large state universities such as Michigan State University and Oklahoma State University.  Other osteopathic schools are smaller, private institutions.  All of these schools, with the exception of Texas Schools, utilize the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) application.  AACOM provides a unifying voice for all colleges of osteopathic medicine in addition to the centralized application service.  

HISTORY OF OSTEOPTHIC MEDICINE

Andrew Taylor Still (A.T. Still) founded osteopathic medicine based on the philosophy that all body systems are interrelated and depend on one another to produce a healthy individual.  ï»¿His philosophy was popularized in 1874 as he popularized wellness for individuals based on this holistic approach. While working as a surgeon during the Civil War, he realized through clinical experience the imporant role of the musculoskeletal system in maintaining good health, forming the basis for osteopathic manipulative treatment. He also promoted the idea of preventative medicine, and in 1892, A.T. Still opened the first college of osteopathic medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. 
 

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DOs and MDs: HOW ARE THEY SIMILAR?

 

  • Students in each program must have completed a four year degree

  • Both require 4 years of medical training and education

  • After completion of medical school, additional time (3 to 8 years) must be spent in Fellowship, Internships, or Residency programs

  • Both can practice in any field of medicine (pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, family medicine, opthamology, etc.)

  • ​Both must pass comparable examinations to be licensced in their state

  • Both can practice at accredited and licensed health care locations

  • Both contribute to the overall health care of the U.S. and the world.

 

OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

 

Osteopathic medicine is a form of medical practice utilizing modern medical methods such as surgery, prescription drugs, and technology for diagnosis and injury evaluation.  Osteopathic medical practitioners are trained for additional hours in manipulative therapy to aid in hands-on diagnosis of patients.  Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO's) focus on each person total wellness by focusing on preventative measures and health promotion. Throughout their training, DO's learn to examine the whole person in their medical approach, allowing them to see each individual as more than a collection of organ systems that can be injured and diseased.  Osteopathic medical training incorporates training for communicating with individuals from diverse backgrounds and skills are routinely practiced in classrooms, learning laboratories, and on simulated patients.  

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