Osteopathic Medicine

[explenture]

What can EMS learn from osteopathic medicine/DO's?

Lot of DO's in our area so just wondering...

[JPINFV]

Paging Dr. Bledsoe.

Probably not much more than from MDs. In the US, DO=MD+Osteopathic manipulation (OMM). There are some philosophical differences between the governing boards, but I don't think that there's much of a difference here between MD and DO physicians as is sometimes talked about. This is why in the US, and spreading into developed countries, MDs and DOs have equal practice rights (even if it means specifying between osteopaths and osteopathic physicians). I'm not 100% sure if any OMM is relevant to field work though.

[IUemt]

I've researched this topic at nausea, as I will be applying to medical school in the coming year. In all reality, as has been said before, there is absolutely NO difference between a practicing DO and MD, besides OMM. Unfortunately, in the United States, those uneducated or unaware of our profession tend to think MDs are higher, or are actually an authoritative end all. That is not the case at all. DO's go through the same classes, same residencies, same training, and same extremely long hours as those going through an allopathic medical school. The major difference I can think of is the way DOs approach the body as a whole system, and are taught to emphasize prevention medicine, rather than treatment via medication only.

I believe I will be applying for an osteopathic medical school, btw.

[brentoli]

Wikipedia has failed me on this one.

[JPINFV]

Wikipedia has failed me on this one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Osteopathic_Medicine

[IUemt]

Search around the StudentDoctor.com forums, there is plenty of helpful information there if you are interested. Be sure to avoid the pre-allopath or pre-osteopath forums though, as they're chalked full of uninformed pre-meds with little to no helpful information.

[JPINFV]

Be sure to avoid the pre-allopath or pre-osteopath forums though, as they're chalked full of uninformed pre-meds with little to no helpful information.

No. pre-allo/osteo forums on studentdoctor.net are worse than that. There are enough blatant trolls in there that there's a small country full of bridges without trolls.

[IUemt]

Unfortunately that's the truth, too. Along with the same topic repeated every 5 days or so, it makes for an interesting time even trying to digest simple thoughts in those forums. I stick to the allopathic/osteopathic and sub-specialties forums. There is a lot of good information on that site, however not near the amount of scenario based learning as is here.

[Just Plain Ruff]

do you know what they call a DO? Doctor

Do you know what they call a MD? Doctor

Not much different.

[JPINFV]

Well, people call Dr. Phil "doctor," but he doesn't have a MD or DO.