| osteopathic physician
a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) who graduates from a U.S. medical college as a fully licensed physician | osteopath
a non-physician practitioner trained outside the United States |
- Possess full, unlimited medical practice rights
| - Considered an archaic term when applied to graduates of osteopathic medical schools in the U.S.
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Have achieved nationally recognized academic and professional standards established in their country
| - Have achieved nationally recognized academic and professional standards established in their country
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- Can provide diagnosis and treatment
| - May not prescribe pharmaceuticals or perform surgery, unlike DOs
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- May pursue any branch of specialized medical care, just like MDs
| - Can independently practice diagnosis and provide treatment
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- DOs practice in the U.S. or in one of the more than 65 countries that give them full medical practice rights.
| - 40,000+ osteopaths currently, mostly in France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, and Canada
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- Undergraduate degree, pre-med coursework and a Medical College Admission Test are required before osteopathic medical students can pursue their DO degree. Graduates then take 3-10 years of specialty residency and fellowship training, complete licensing and specialty board examinations, and pursue a license to practice in the state/s (and/or countries) in which they wish to be established
| - Master’s degree or bachelor’s degree equivalent is acceptable for post-professional training
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So what do osteopathy, osteopath, and college of osteopathy have in common?
These terms fail to properly describe the osteopathic medical profession on a global basis. Osteopaths and colleges (or schools) of osteopathy should not be used to refer to the practitioners of osteopathic medicine nor the U.S. osteopathic medical education system.
Do Say: | Don't Say: |
- Approximately 5,000 new osteopathic physicians enter the U.S. health care workforce each year.
| - Approximately 5,000 new osteopaths enter the U.S. health care workforce each year.
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- The United States has an estimated 74,000 fully licensed osteopathic physicians.
| - The United States has an estimated 74,000 fully licensed osteopaths.
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- U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine graduate more and more students each year.
| - Colleges of osteopathy are graduating more and more students each year.
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- Osteopathic medicine treats the person as a whole.
| - Osteopathy treats the person as a whole.
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