How to Decide Between an M.D. and a D.O.

The implication that osteopathic medical schools are ideal to a “lower tier of applicants” is an insult to the nation’s more than 78,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) who take pride in their osteopathic medical training. In fact, students enrolled at osteopathic medical schools make up more than 20% of all U.S. medical students. There is more to evaluating the competitiveness of medical school admissions than test scores.

Many osteopathic medical schools place a significant emphasis on personal qualities and attributes, such as good communication and interpersonal skills. Furthermore, osteopathic medical schools are looking for candidates who have shadowed an osteopathic physician and some schools even require a letter of recommendation from a practicing DO.

Additionally, candidates to osteopathic medical schools often are drawn to the osteopathic medical profession’s special commitment to providing primary care (more than 60% of DOs practice in primary care specialties). The profession also places an emphasis on preventive medicine. DOs are trained from their first day of medical school to consider the health of the whole person. During a visit, DOs often ask their patients questions about home and work or school life since lifestyle factors play an important role in one’s health.

The osteopathic medical profession also has a tradition of serving rural and medically underserved regions. In fact, several osteopathic medical schools are operating in some of the most medically underserved regions in our nation, ranging from rural Appalachia to urban areas that struggle to provide adequate and high-quality health care, such as New York City’s Harlem community.

Pre-med students who are interested in pursuing this philosophy of care can learn more about the osteopathic medical profession at www.osteopathic.org.

AmericanOsteopathicAssociation of IL 2:48PM April 24, 2012