What is the difference between a doctor with a Ph.D and a doctor with a MD?

Answer 1

A DO is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, while an MD is a Doctor of Medicine. Traditionally, DOs have generally taken a more "holistic" (whole-person) view of medicine, which, among other minor differences, include musculoskeletal manipulation as an additional method of diagnosis and treatment.

However, these days there is virtually no difference in their training or qualifications. DOs are board certified in literally every specialty that MDs are, including Family Practice, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, etc. The osteopathic counterpart to the AMA is the AOA, and one would be hard pressed, without looking at the diploma on the wall, to tell one from the other.

Answer 2

An MD is a doctorate degree in Medicine, a Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy in a specific subject matter. Ph.D. in civil engineering has studied to develop a proficiency in that subject matter considered substantial to contribute to the body of knowledge of the subject matter. That is, such an individual would be considered a leader in industry where practical applications of advanced theories are concerned, in academics as a researcher or instructor, and in either case a contributor to advancing the knowledge base of the specific field.

An M.D. is of course a doctor and in all manners equivalent to a Ph.D. except that their field of specialty lies in an area of the medical field.

Answer 3

It's not the one is better than the other, it's just that they are two different approaches. Both degrees are equivalent. You will just have to research each and choose the one you feel meets your beliefs, and attitudes, particular to patient treatment and general health care.

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The USA sees both the MD degree and the U.S. trained DO degree as the same. Same practicing rights, prescribing priviledges, and ability to do medicine and surgery. Some DOs, only a small minority, of coarse, are able to do manipulative medicine on patients, thus the degree DO. Hell, though, after osteopathic medical school, most DOs only learn OMT to pass the medical school and to pass their boards and then do not do any manipulation after that. Ergo, it would best serve the banal population if the DOs would change their degree from DO to MD,DO. That way, the US population and world population would know that all DOs are acknowleged as medical doctors. Hell, the DOs are short changing themselves everyday not changing their degree. DOs mixed in with all the other titles like DNP,RNP, DPM,DC,DDS,DDM,RT,OT,PhD, PA, etc,etc,etc, when clearly the 1 title that will always stand out is MD. So, enough said, DOs change your degree to MD,DO.

Answer 4

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.

Answer 5

Both go through the same med school curriculum + clinical practice + internship + residency, so they pretty much make the same salary. D.O.'s have extra hours of bone/spine studies, but not many use that knowledge depending on what specialty they're in. Both M.D. and D.O. are considered medical physicians in the U.S. and can be used interchangeably in a hospital.
While both DO and MD are physicians, DO is a doctor of osteopathy, meaning to treat the body as a whole, and MD is a medical Doctor Who treats the ailment/illness in a "targeted" manner.

Answer 6

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O. or DO) is a four-year graduate-level academic degree offered to physicians and surgeons in the United States. Holders of the D.O. degree are known as osteopathic medical physicians. D.O.s are trained much in the same way as M.D.s, with the addition of osteopathic manipulative medicine techniques. (Wikipedia)

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Answer 7

It's not that one is better than the other, it's just a different approach to treatment and patient care. Both are equivalent degrees with DOs being trained much in the same way as the traditional MD.