What is osteopath?

Answer 1

Osteopaths, not to be confused with osteopathic physicians/Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, are healthcare practitioners who have earned the Diploma of Osteopathy degree and specialize in a form of manual therapy known as osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). Unlike Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) trained in the United States, non-physician osteopaths trained in Europe or elsewhere are often trained at a Bachelor's or Master's degree level of medical training, but are not physicians, and cannot perform surgeries or prescribe medications like a physician.

References:

http://www.aacom.org/about/osteomed/Pages/TheDifference.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathic_medicine_in_the_United_States

Answer 2

An Osteopath, or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), is a fully qualified physician who has at least 11 years of training. Although they can be of any specialty, Family Practice is their often their emphasis, where they are considered to be superior to MD's.

Answer 3

The Doctor of Osteopathy professional doctoral degree was a degree for doctors in the USA many years ago, but now the proper term for the degree is actually Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) as the Doctor of Osteopathy degree is no longer earned by osteopathic medical students in the United States today (though a degree with this exact name can be earned in Europe by non-physician osteopaths, but that's different). Physicians with the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree have full rights to practice the full scope of medicine and surgery in all states.