Osteopathic medicine is a distinctive form of medical practice in the United States and 49 other countries. This truly American form of medicine emphasizes helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on health education, injury prevention and disease prevention.

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still developed Osteopathic Medicine in response to harmful medical practices during the 19th century. Dr. Still studied the process of disease and believed the body could heal itself through the use of preventive medicine, eating properly and keeping fit.

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) provide all of the benefits of modern medicine, including prescription drugs, surgery and the use of technology to diagnose disease and evaluate injury. They also offer the added benefit of hands-on diagnosis and treatment through a system of therapy, known as osteopathic manipulative medicine. Osteopathic medicine is based on whole-person health care.

• D.O.’s receive extra teaching in the musculoskeletal system, which provides greater understanding of the ways injury or disease in one part of the body affects another.
• D.O.’s focus on preventive health care.
• D.O.’s practice a “whole person” approach to medicine to treat the person, not just the symptoms.
• D.O.’s incorporate osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) into their practices. OMT encourages the use of the physician's hands to diagnose injury or illness and to enable the body to fulfill its natural tendency toward good health.

Osteopathic medical students receive about 200 hours of training in osteopathic manipulative medicine. These hands-on techniques help alleviate pain, restore motion and influence the body’s structure to help it function more efficiently. In addition, LECOM has integrated the concepts of osteopathic medicine through courses in health care management, medical jurisprudence, spirituality in medicine and international clinical experiences.

D.O.’s and M.D.’s share similarities:

• Both complete four years of medical education.
• Both are fully licensed to prescribe medication, perform surgery and train and practice in all other specialties.
• Both must pass national licensing examinations.
• Both practice in fully accredited and licensed healthcare institutions.

Osteopathic medicine continues to grow in the United States as patients choose the holistic philosophy. Most D.O. graduates choose to practice in primary care specialties and fill the need for physicians in underserved areas. Today, D.O’s continue to be on the cutting edge of modern medicine.