Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O. or DO) is an academic degree offered in the United States. It is a graduate-level first professional degree for physicians and surgeons, usually requiring four years to complete. Holders of the D.O. degree are known as osteopathic physicians, while holders of the similar, but more common M.D. degree are known as allopathic physicians. The existence of this distinction and of D.O.s as licensed physicians is not widely known.Gevitz N. Visible and recognized: osteopathic invisibility syndrome and the 2% solution. The DO. March 1997:23-4, 26-7. PMID: 9107129 Although U. S. osteopathic medical physicians currently may obtain licensure in 47 countries, osteopathic curricula in countries other than the United States differs. D.O.s outside the U. S. are known as "osteopaths" and their scope of practice excludes allopathic medical therapies and relies more exclus