Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - Education and Training

Education and Training

Osteopathic medical school curricula are virtually identical to those at schools granting the Doctor of Medicine M.D. degree. Once admitted to an osteopathic medical school, it takes about four years to graduate, and the schooling is roughly divided into the pre-clinical and clinical years. The pre-clinical years, the first and second years, focus on the biomedical and clinical sciences. The clinical years, the third and fourth years, consist of core clinical training in the clinical specialties. Osteopathic medical school accreditation standards require training in internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, family practice, surgery, psychiatry, emergency medicine, radiology, preventive medicine and public health. According to Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, "the training, practice, credentialing, licensure, and reimbursement of osteopathic physicians is virtually indistinguishable from those of physicians with M.D. qualifications, with 4 years of osteopathic medical school followed by specialty and subspecialty training and certification." However, D.O. schools provide an additional 300 – 500 hours in the study of hands-on manual medicine and the body's musculoskeletal system, which is referred to as osteopathic manipulative medicine.

After completing medical school, D.O. physicians begin graduate medical training. Many D.O. physicians attend the same internship and residency training programs as their M.D. counterparts, and then take M.D. specialty board exams while other D.O. graduates enter osteopathic internships and residencies and take D.O. specialty board examinations.

Further information: Osteopathic medicine in the United States