| What is Osteopathic
Medicine in the United States?
Osteopathic medicine focuses on the 'whole person'
as opposed to specific symptoms or illnesses.
The philosophy of osteopathic medicine, as first
described by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1874,
places an emphasis on the body's musculoskeletal
system, or how the body's interconnected system
of nerves, muscles and bones interact. D.O.s,
or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, are equipped
with a great understanding of how an injury or
illness in one part of the body can affect another.
D.O.s help patients develop attitudes and lifestyles
that don't just fight illness, but help prevent
it.
What is the history of osteopathic
medicine?
In 1874, Missouri physician Dr. Still described
the science and philosophy of osteopathic medicine.
Unhappy with the standard of medical treatment
in his day, Dr. Still was distrustful of the quality
of medication available to patients and the practice
of physicians simply treating symptoms. He subsequently
developed osteopathic medicine, a field of medicine
that focuses on preventing illness and treating
the whole patient, while utilizing modern medical
technology.
Dr. Still founded the American School of Osteopathy
in Kirksville, Missouri in 1892. Unique in its
day, the college encouraged the enrollment of
females. By 1897, knowledge and interest in osteopathic
medicine had spread, and the school had over 500
enrolled students. In 1898, the American Association
for the Advancement of Osteopathy was established.
Concerned with the quality and increasing number
of osteopathic colleges sprouting up throughout
the country, the association held a conference
in Kirksville to determine a number of standards
to govern the profession. Some of these included
an approved curriculum, a minimum length of study,
guidelines for the selection of faculty and students,
and establishing criteria for judging additional
colleges that might apply for membership.
In 1901, the association changed its name to
the American Osteopathic Association, and it remains
the governing branch of the field of osteopathic
medicine. The goals of the AOA are to foster representative
membership, protect the right and privilege to
practice osteopathic medicine, develop a truly
national profession, preserve basic osteopathic
principles, ensure quality education and training
programs, and promote osteopathic health care
systems.
What are the educational requirements
of a D.O. in the United States?
The educational requirements of osteopathic physicians
and medical physicians are comparable. Both medical
and osteopathic physicians have a four-year undergraduate
degree and complete specific science courses.
In addition, both D.O.s and M.D.s are the only
two types of complete physicians licensed to practice
in all 50 states. The osteopathic curriculum places
emphasis on preventative medicine and holistic
patient care; medical students are trained to
use osteopathic principles and techniques for
diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Following completion of an osteopathic medical
degree, D.O.s must serve a one-year rotating internship,
in which they will gain hands-on experience in
internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, family
practice, pediatrics and surgery. Most D.O.s then
choose to complete a residency program in a specialty
area such as internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics,
radiology or pathology. Generally, a residency
requires two to six years. After the completion
of a residency program, osteopathic physicians,
like medical physicians, must pass a state medical
board examination in order to obtain a license
to enter practice.
What is OMT?
A unique philosophy of osteopathic medicine is
OMT, or Osteopathic Manipulative Theory. The philosophy
of OMT, as described by Dr. Still, is a 'hands
on' approach used to analyze, diagnose and treat
patients. When needed, OMT may be used in conjunction
with, or in place of, medication or surgery. Manipulative
therapy is generally associated with lower-back
pain, but the treatment can be used to relieve
asthma, carpal tunnel, menstrual pain, sinus disorder,
and migraines. OMT can relieve muscle pain associated
with a disease, and can hasten recovery from illness
by promoting blood flow through tissues. Although
all osteopathic students are taught OMT, not all
of them choose to practice this form of treatment
once out of college, the reason being that most
D.O.s choose to enter family practice, in which
OMT is often not needed for treatment.
Recent studies of OMT have found that it is proven
to work for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Studies show that patients who are treated with
OMT utilize fewer medications, make fewer visits
to the doctor, and most importantly, are no longer
in pain and have restored mobility.
What is osteopathic medicine
today?
Today, there are nineteen accredited osteopathic
colleges throughout the United States. In 1996,
the total enrolment in osteopathic colleges exceeded
8,800 students. Currently, there are over 44,000
practicing osteopathic physicians in the United
States. Approximately 64% of these practice primary
care, and a great many practice in rural and medically
underserved areas.
The future of osteopathic medicine will continue
to incorporate the latest in medical technology
while keeping the basic osteopathic principles
in mind. A current initiative is to expand the
field around the world - in 1997, the AOA established
the Council on International Osteopathic Medical
Education and Affairs (CIOMEA), who set the mission
of leading and unifying osteopathic medical education
organizations to ensure the continued advancement
of osteopathic medicine internationally. A great
deal of interest in the field has been raised
by osteopaths in Canada, the United Kingdom, France
and Germany. Other initiatives for the future
of osteopathic medicine include a greater emphasis
on women's and minority health.
For more information on osteopathic medicine,
contact the American Osteopathic Association at:
142 E. Ontario St.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 202-8000
(800) 621-1773 ext. 8252
Or visit us on the web at:
www.aoa-net.org
Author
Kelletta Blackburn
Public Relations Specialist
American Osteopathic Association
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