Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is a medical degree offered by medical schools in the United States. A DO graduate may become licensed as a physician. DOs have full practice rights in all 50 US states. As of 2021, there were more than 168,000 osteopathic physicians and osteopathic medical students in the United States.

Is DO or MD better?

Final thoughts. The allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) approaches to medicine are highly valuable for treating patients. Therefore, neither an MD nor DO is objectively better than the other.

What is the main difference between MD and DO?

MDs generally focus on treating specific conditions with medication. DOs, on the other hand, tend to focus on whole-body healing, with or without traditional medication. They generally have a stronger holistic approach and have been trained with additional hours of hands-on techniques.