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 exclusively on osteopathic manipulative medicine and other alternative medical modalities.

International variations in the D.O. degree

In the United States, D.O.s are "doctors of osteopathic medicine" who are trained as physicians.

In France, Germany,and Switzerland, some osteopathic practitioners are M.D.s who take additional courses in osteopathy after completing their medical training. In the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, ?osteopaths" are trained in osteopathic principles and osteopathic manipulative treatment but are not physicians.

According to the BIOMEA, in most countries outside the United States, D.O. stands for ?diploma of osteopathy,? not ?doctor of osteopathic medicine.? The difference is that osteopaths are not trained or licensed as physicians, and therefore do not carry the same practice rights, such as surgery and prescribing medication. However, osteopaths in some countries do act as primary care providers, coordinating treatment with fully licensed primary care physicians.McNerney, Joseph. Chairman, Bureau on International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs. Osteopathic Degrees Overseas: Response. J Am Osteopath Assoc Jan 2007 Vol 107;No 1 p 7

Current status and scope of practice

While there are approximately 55,000 D.O.s practicing within the United States, this number represents only 6% of all practicing physicians. D.O.'s may obtain licensure in any of the fifty states and practice in all medical specialties including, but not limited to, family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, dermatology, surgery, and radiology. The D.O. degree is the legal and professional equivalent of the M.D. degree and as such there is no difference in compensation between allopathic and osteopathic physicians.

International practice rights

thumb|300px|right|International practice rights of U.S. trained D.O.s



Every country has different requirements and a different way of licensing or registering osteopathic physicians and osteopaths. The only osteopathic practitioners that the U.S. Department of Education recognizes as physicians are graduates of osteopathic medical colleges in the United States.Notices. Federal Register. Vol. 70, No. 190. 3 Oct 2005. [1] Therefore, osteopaths who have trained outside the United States are not eligible for medical licensure in the United States. On the other hand, US-trained D.O.s are currently able to practice in 45 countries with full medical rights and in several others with restricted rights.

The following is a table of International Practice Rights of U.S trained Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, as listed by the American Osteopathic Association.AOA International License Summary. American Osteopathic Association. Council on International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs.[2]

|-| Cayman Islands (UK)| 1983| Unlimited.| US license recognized.|-| Chile| 1993.| Unlimited.| A written exam, in Spanish, is required.|-| China| 1994| Unlimited.| US-DOs are permitted to apply for "Short Term Medical Practice" only.|-| Costa Rica| 1993| Unlimited.| Several requirements. (Same as for any foreign MD.)|-| Denmark| 1995| Unknown.| No response from embassy.|-| Dominican Republic| 2000| Unlimited.| US license recognized.|-| Ecuador|| Unlimited.| Several. Same as for any foreign MD.|-| Finland| 1996| Unlimited.| Several. Same as for any foreign MD.|-|France|1988|Restricted.|OMM only. French government does not recognize osteopathic medicine.|-|Germany|1993|Unlimited.|No special requirements. Decisions made on individual basis.|-|Greece|2004|Unlimited.|Difficult. Greek citizenship required.|-|Hong Kong|1998|Unlimited.|Written examination. Personal interview. Training approval.|-|India|1999|Undetermined.|Indian nationality status required.|-|Indonesia|1992|Unlimited.|All foreign physicians affiliated with a University project or a mission have unlimited practice rights. No private practice allowed.|-|Ireland|1999|Under review.|The Irish government has repeated declined to recognize US trained D.O.s as physicians. The American Osteopathic Association president has said that obtaining unlimited practice rights for US-trained D.O.s in Ireland is a top priority in 2007.Peter B. Ajluni US-Trained DOs in Ireland. AOA president's blog. 12 Mar 2007. [3]|-|Lebanon|2004|Unlimited.|AOA letter required. Examination required.|-|New Zealand|2005|Unlimited.|Hearing required. Case-by-case basis.|-|Nigeria|1999|Unlimited.|An appearance before the Nigerian Medical Council & an oral quiz.|-|Singapore|1993|None.|Singapore does not recognize US DO degree. Only recognizes US MD degree from 37 US allopathic schools.Registrable Basic Medical Degrees. Singapore Medical Council accessed Oct 2007.|-|Spain|1994|None.|No medical practice rights.|-|Sweden|1996|Unlimited.|US license recognized.|-|Taiwan|2005|Unlimited.|The ROC government recognizes US D.O. degree. Applicants must take Taiwan Examination Yuan to obtain Taiwanese license.|-|United Kingdom|2005|Unlimited.|US-trained DOs eligible for full medical practice rights. Applicants must pass the PLAB examination and work for one year in the National Health Service. Following that year, the applicants will be able to apply for a license to practice privately.|-|colspan="4" | Table data from AOA International License Summary.AOA International License Summary. American Osteopathic Association. Council on International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs.[4]|}

See also

• List of Osteopathic Medical Schools

References

External links

• US-Trained DOs in Ireland. American Osteopathic Association President's Blog. [5]

Osteopathic medicineOsteopathic medicineOsteopathic medicine