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Post by JC on Aug 25, 2010 9:15:06 GMT -5
I have been meaning to post about this type of doctor for a while because not a lot of people know about them.
A doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) is a doctoral degree for physicians (medical doctors) in the United States. Doctors with a DO degree are known as osteopathic physicians. They have the SAME doctor training and the SAME privelidges, they take the SAME boards exams, and can practice in the SAME way as MDs do, the only difference is that D.O.s have additional training in what's called Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) and have more tools and options to treat patients.
D.O.s are everywhere in every practice. There are DO surgeons, neurologists, pediatricians, and even OBgyn D.Os. The very first hospital I worked at was primarily a D.O. hospital and was affiliated with a D.O. medical school in Pomona, California. It was awesome. People who seek a DO degree are generally people who are interested in wholeness and paying attention the the ENTIRE body and how it's all connected rather than just parts. I love D.O.s. Some of the best doctors I've worked with are DOs.DOs focus on treating the source of the problem rather than just masking symptoms with medications.
I would suggest reading more about them if you're interested or you can ask questions here. It's very interesting!
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Post by sweety on Aug 25, 2010 10:10:57 GMT -5
Looks so promising, need to check if i have them in my country
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Post by Karen on Aug 25, 2010 20:00:17 GMT -5
Good to know, thanks for posting!
My question is, why isn't EVERY doctor trained on paying attention to how things are all connected!?! Kind of seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it?
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Post by sweety on Aug 26, 2010 4:45:02 GMT -5
How true Karen! We all have to deal with so many jerks.
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Post by JC on Aug 26, 2010 6:02:44 GMT -5
I have no freakin idea. Actually what's funny is that some MDs don't respect the DO program. It pisses me off. They've been called "glorified chiropractors" before and I get so mad because it's a wonderful program! It's just that the DO program is not as traditional as MD. The DO concept started in the late 1800's so it's been around for a while! MDs sometimes have the option to take an osteopathy course in their medical training but it's only an elective. DOs actually have to take a board certification after medical school IN ADDITION to the same boards exams as MDs. It's actually MORE education. I don't see how this is a bad thing! Wikipedia gives a pretty good description of what a DO is and even gives information about this type of licensing in other countries. Check it out! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Osteopathic_Medicine
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Post by JC on Aug 10, 2011 8:02:21 GMT -5
I wanted to revive this thread to spread the word about this type of doctor. I have been reading about the medical schools I want to apply to and every school emphasizes that a D.O. have exceptional qualities to treat a person as a whole rather than just symptoms. I was reading the Osteopathic Medical College Handbook and I wanted to share more about what this type of doctor has to offer us: "From their first day of medical school, DOs are trained to look at the whole person, which means they see each person as more than just a collection of body parts that may become injured or diseased. DOs are taught that the whole person is greater than the sum of his or her parts, and that patients should be treated as partners in the health care process.One key concept osteopathic medical students learn is that structure influences function. Thus, if there is a problem in one part of the body’s structure, function in that area and in other areas may be affected. For example, restriction of motion in the lower ankle can restrict motion in the knee, hip, and lumbar spine, causing symptoms throughout. By using osteopathic manipulative medicine techniques, DOs can help restore motion to these areas and eliminate pain. Another integral tenet of osteopathic medicine is that the body has an innate ability to heal itself. Many of osteopathic medicine’s manipulative techniques are aimed at reducing or eliminating impediments to proper structure and function so that this self-healing mechanism can assume its role in restoring a patient’s health."
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Post by Karen on Aug 10, 2011 8:13:02 GMT -5
Amen!
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Post by JC on Aug 16, 2011 7:33:44 GMT -5
This video is really cool. It shows a session with a D.O. working on this girl's pelvis and legs and he talks about how you should find the source of pain rather than just drugging someone up. This is such an awesome alternative to seeing an M.D.
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Post by 1234 on Aug 16, 2011 10:08:07 GMT -5
yes, this is such a better approach to medicine.
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Post by JC on Sept 20, 2011 19:11:28 GMT -5
I went to a pre- D.O. meeting today and they stressed that the biggest difference between a candidate for D.O. school and M.D. school is that D.O. schools REQUIRE you to have previous patient contact experience. Most M.D. schools stress previous research experience. I don't know about you girls but I'd rather have a doctor who has more experience with PEOPLE than locked up in some lab. Also the curriculum in D.O. school starts you off in patient contact your first year of medical school. Most M.D. schools, the students don't talk to their first patients until the 3rd or 4th year. D.O. schools stress the importance of a patient-centered care and the whole reason why osteopathic medicine was started was under the thought that medicine needed a completely different approach.
Ok I'm off my soap box now.
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Post by Karen on Sept 20, 2011 19:42:29 GMT -5
You stand on your soap box all you want - I'm right behind you!!! The next time I find myself in need of a new doctor, you know exactly what kind I'm going to look for!
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Post by KSA on Sept 20, 2011 20:02:31 GMT -5
Are you going into the DO program Jenaya? Awwww love my endocrinologist not just bc he is hot lol he is a DO and maybe the one guy who gets the answers. He is off to a good start. Glorified Chiropractors huh? LOL I like my chiropractor too...why is it that some docs just have such big heads anyone who actually gets to know the patient are the asses? Right? OH docs its such a head game with them. However it is found and whoever figures it out as long as they are nice and respectful to me I do not care if it is a podiatrist!
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Post by omaklackey on Sept 20, 2011 20:33:57 GMT -5
One of our favorite ER docs is a DO. He said unfortuntely it did used to mean all that but a lot of the schools are changing. Isn't that awful!!!
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Post by JC on Sept 21, 2011 7:02:41 GMT -5
Yeah it really upsets me. I am going to only apply to D.O. schools. I agree that medicine needs a different approach and I totally stand by what osteopathic medicine aims to achieve. I don't care if the stupid letters after my name are not M.D. I'm not going to medical school for the title. I am really hoping that D.O. schools become more popular and desirable to some of the pre-meds. I just really dislike how people are so obsessed with the letters M and D.
One thing I did learn yesterday that was pretty cool was the difference between OMM (osteopathic manual medicine) and chiropractic techniques. He said that chiropractors basically work to make your spine totally straight, and make your shoulders make a perfect "T" to your spine. He said in OMM, they adjust you according to what's best for your body type and not everyone needs that optimal "T" to be ideal for them. Basically, OMM does what's best for your body while chiropractors try to twist and crack you into the same exact mold as everyone else. He also made the distinction that sometimes tight muscles in the pelvis, for example, will cause imbalances in other places in your body like the chest and make it more difficult to breath, restrict range of motion, or even cause pain in places you wouldn't think of like the back or neck. It stresses balancing the musculoskeletal system to provide optimal function for the rest of the body. IN ADDITION to all of this, D.O. get the same education as M.Ds.
Ok off soapbox again. LOL
OH and Karla, some of my favorite doctors that I've worked with are D.Os too. I'm totally hooked. ;D
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Post by 1234 on Sept 21, 2011 9:06:12 GMT -5
Jenaya, you're really inspirational. Can't wait for you to be a DO!
I think that those tight pelvic muscles and how it affects everything else is where yoga comes in as a useful treatment for some types of pain associated with endo.
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