What is osteopathy?

Answer 1

Osteopathy was founded in 1874 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in the USA and has now branched into two fields: osteopathic medicine (in the United States) and osteopathy (outside of the United States). Osteopathy is an established internationally recognized manual medicine system of diagnosis and treatment, which lays its main emphasis on the structural and functional integrity of the musculoskeletal system.

Osteopaths use a variety of hands-on physical treatments. These include soft tissue techniques, joint mobilization & manipulation, muscle energy treatment and functional (strain and counter strain) techniques. These techniques are normally employed together with exercise, dietary, and occupational advice in an attempt to help patients recover from pain, disease and injury.

European style Osteopaths do not prescribe medications or perform surgery, while American osteopathic physicians (Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine-D.O.) are medical physicians who are trained and licensed (depending on specialty of course) to practice osteopathic medicine (not osteopathy) and diagnose illness, perform surgery, and prescribe medications as well as using osteopathic techniques in managing a patient's condition.

Answer 2

A person who is interested in becoming a physician should apply to both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools. Specifically, osteopathic medical schools train their students intensely in the musculoskeletal system and in manipulation. Otherwise, the training between MDs and DOs are identical.

Typically, people who apply to medical school are interested in science and healing, and are dedicated to providing healthcare to all people, regardless of race or creed.

Answer 3

Both allopathic (M.D.) and osteopathic (D.O.) medical schools are four year graduate institutions with the purpose of educating physicians in the field of medicine.

Other than the fact that D.O. students learn Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) in addition to all of the same courses that M.D. students take, there is no appreciable difference between the two degrees.

Answer 4

An Osteopathic physician is a physician who went to an Osteopathic medical school. Osteopathic medical schools are accredited by the American Osteopathic Association and grant the "Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine" degree. Osteopathic physicians may be noted by the degree designation "D.O."

Osteopathic physicians are complete physicians. In the United states, they are the legal and practical equivalent of Allopathic physicians, also known as M.D.s

Most Osteopathic physicians practice in a primary care field (Family medicine, Internal medicine, OB/Gyn, and Pediatrics). In any given year, approximately 65% of Osteopathic medical school graduates enter a primary care field, as opposed to 25-30% of Allopathic medical school graduates.

Osteopathic physicians comprise about 8% of all physicians in the United States.

There is very little practical difference between MDs and DOs. The main differences are in the training the different physicians receive. DOs, in addition to learning all conventional medical subjects, also learn Osteopathic manipulative medicine, which is a form of manipulative treatment developed by A.T. Still in the late 19th century. Through this training, they obtain several hundred additional hours of education in the musculoskeletal system and its interaction with the other body systems.

Answer 5

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) and Doctors of Medicine (M.D.) are both medical physicians and their purpose is to diagnose and treat patients who come to them with medical problems. These physicians may work in a hospital or a private practice and may treat patients with medication, surgery, or other modalities of treatment that don't require medication or surgery such as physical therapy. Overall, the point of these physicians is to treat people who are sick and make them healthy again and to help people who are healthy stay that way.

Answer 6

Osteopathic physicians, also known a Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) study osteopathic medicine. They go through four years of medical school, sit for board examinations, go into a residency to specialize in a certain field of medicine, and may go on to do a fellowship, etc. In addition to the traditional medical curriculum, medical students attending an osteopathic medical school receive 300-500 hours of instruction in a form of manual therapy known as osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). Osteopathic physicians can perform surgery, prescribe medication, and so on. They are medical physicians just like Doctors of Medicine (M.D.) So, to answer your original question, osteopathic physicians study medicine.

Answer 7

Osteopathy is a form of hands on treatment that aims to restore alignment, balance and function to the body. It uses a wide range of manual techniques, tailored to suit the individual's needs.