Allopathic and Osteopathic Medicine

Allopathic Medicine - Overview of the Profession

Allopathic medicine refers to a system in which medical doctors and other
healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat
symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also called biomedicine,
conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and Western
medicine. Allopathic physicians receive an MD. Their responsibilities are various
and relate to the maintenance of health, including both acute care and prevention.
Allopathic physicians can choose to practice in a number of different specialty
areas, as well as build a career in teaching or research.

Specialty Areas
After medical school, all physicians are required to complete further training. It
is at this time that they will choose the clinical area which they hope to pursue
in more depth. A physician may choose from a number of different specialties that
will vary in terms of the number of years of post-graduate training required.

Practice Areas
Physicians practice in a number of different settings including private practice,
group practice, academic medical centers, research labs, hospitals, HMOs, clinics,
industry, military, or government.

Education
Medical school is four years in length. Typically, the first year and a half to two
years concentrate on didactic learning of the basic sciences and the second two
years focus on clinical training in the hospital. However there are many variations
to this model and most medical schools integrate clinical training across the four
years. After completion of medical school physicians will generally enter residency
training programs that range from 3 � 8 years.

Prerequisites
Please see section on Premedical Curriculum. Many medical schools have unique
requirements. The Preprofessional Advising Office compiled a list of the required
and recommended courses for different medical schools across the Unites States
which is updated every year or so. That list is available here.

Admission
Admission to medical school is extremely competitive. Please see section About
Applying or more detailed information.

Osteopathic Medicine -Overview of the Profession

According to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM),
�Osteopathic medicine is a distinctive form of medical practice in the United
States. Osteopathic physicians use all of the tools and technology available to
modern medicine with the added benefits of a holistic philosophy and a system of
hands-on diagnosis and treatment known as osteopathic manipulative medicine.
Doctors of osteopathic medicine emphasize helping each person achieve a high level
of wellness by focusing on health education, injury prevention and disease
prevention.� Osteopathic physicians receive a DO degree, but they are fully
physicians with all the same rights and responsibilities as MDs.

Practice Areas
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) are licensed to practice the full scope of
medicine in all 50 states. In practical terms, the D.O. and the M.D. receive the
same license and share the same medical rights and privileges. Osteopathic medical
education emphasizes primary care, however, students may seek training in any
specialty, from Psychiatry to Neurosurgery, and many D.O.s do pursue
specialization.
Education
There are currently 34 colleges of osteopathic medicine, offering instruction at 31
locations in 49 teaching locations in 32 states. Osteopathic medical students study
all of the basic and clinical sciences expected for mastery of medicine plus
additional training in the art of osteopathic manipulative medicine. Osteopathic
schools emphasize the idea that structure influences function and therefore if a
problem exists in one part of the body�s structure the function in that area and in
other closely aligned areas may be affected. There is also a focus on prevention
and holistic care.

Prerequisites
See Premedical Curriculum

Admission
Osteopathic Medical School is quite competitive, but typically these schools
receive fewer applications than allopathic schools. Therefore, as a result students
with slightly lower grades and MCAT scores may find that their prospects at
Osteopathic schools may be greater. Premedical students should not, however, regard
colleges of osteopathic medicine as �safety� schools.

Colleges of Osteopathic medicine look for a combination of experience and

motivation typically characteristic of a good doctor. Beyond that, admissions
committees want to know why applicants are specifically interested in osteopathic
medicine. Many osteopathic schools require a letter of recommendation from an
osteopathic physician as part of the application; many practicing D.O.s are willing
to write such a letter, provided that applicants observe their practice and discuss
the profession.

It is acceptable for aspiring doctors to apply to both allopathic and osteopathic

schools; many applicants do. Please refer to About Applying for more information on
the specific processes and procedures.

In addition to comparing locations and costs of schools, students who are accepted
to both M.D. and D.O. programs should carefully consider which training best suits
their medical career plans.

Resources
Association of American Medical Colleges

American Osteopathic Association