Do You See An Osteopath or an MD?

[Abraham]

I've never encountered an Osteopath, yet they have all the skills and training of MD's. They do surgery, write prescriptions, etc.

So, a question: Do you see an Osteopath or an MD?

From the small amount of research I've done, they appear to be even more trained than MD's, yet are apparently little known by the general public. (or perhaps I live in a bubble...?)

Another question: Why do we have Osteopaths Vs. MD's?

Anyone?

[gringo pistolero]

I've never encountered an Osteopath, yet they have all the skills and training of MD's. They do surgery, write prescriptions, etc.

That appears to be true in the United States but not internationally.

Another question: Why do we have Osteopaths Vs. MD's?

Anyone?

There appears to be a certain philosophy or set of principles that form the foundation of Osteopathy. If you subscribe to that philosophy, a D.O. may be a good choice for you. If not, then having one as your primary care physician is probably not a good fit.

[cb1000rider]

I saw an Osteopath once, due to fall that I took while I was out of state. Muscular / Skeletal injury.
I remember that his line of treatment was a bit more physically invasive - stretching, pulling, stuff that legitimately hurt than what I've been through for the same injury with an MD.

Wrote prescriptions, worked in a hospital.. Just a little more on the solve-it-yourself via physical therapy than treat it medically.

I see an MD - not because I don't like Osteopaths, just that they're a little easier to find in conjunction with insurance plans.

[WildBill]

I've never encountered an Osteopath, yet they have all the skills and training of MD's. They do surgery, write prescriptions, etc.
1) So, a question: Do you see an Osteopath or an MD?
2) From the small amount of research I've done, they appear to be even more trained than MD's, yet are apparently little known by the general public. (or perhaps I live in a bubble...?)
3) Another question: Why do we have Osteopaths Vs. MD's?
Anyone?

I will offer my opinion based on my limited experience.

1) I usually see an MD.

2) I have seen an Osteopath on two occasions. The first was when I was on vacation in Tennessee and got a sinus infection. I was feeling poorly so I stopped in a clinic I saw in a small town. I didn't realize he was an Osteopath until I got inside.

He agreed to see and treat me without insurance. [I had insurance, but lived in another state] so I paid with my Visa Card. I received a prescription for some antibiotics which made me feel better in the short term [my insurance covered my prescription with a small co-pay which amazed the pharmacist.]

When I got back home I still had the infection so I visited my regular MD. He/we decided that the dose he prescribed was too low for a person of my size. He gave me a larger dose and I recovered. A side note: my MD doctor's daughter is a DO. He never did comment why she chose that route.

When I moved to Texas I went to a medical group covered by my insurance plan to get a physical. They assigned me to an Osteopath, who did a decent job. I didn't feel like I was getting short-changed since he wasn't an MD.

3) I think that the Osteopath medical schools are a relic of the past. There are only 30 accredited Osteopathic medical schools in the United States. I really don't know if their philosophy of treatment is much different than most medical schools. I have a suspicion that it might be more difficult for a DO to get a residency to get board certified for certain specialties. This would limit their income as primary care physicians.

They have a long history and the state medical boards to recognize them and give them the same rights as MDs. IMO, the AMA hasn't been able to or doesn't have the desire to convert them to MDs. I believe that they will be absorbed into the MD curriculum.

[SC1903A3]

I used to go to an osteopath until my health insurance changed. I thought of him as a MD/chiropractor all rolled into one. Of course I may be prejudiced, my mother was a nurse at the old Dallas Osteopathic Hospital for more that twenty years until they closed. He did everything that my current MD does plus give spinal adjustments for my sciatic nerve.

[LeakyWaders]

Both.

My primary care physician is an internal medicine MD who accepts my insurance. He is a brilliant doctor when it comes to the very complicated medical conditions. I have worked in the ER for years and have been very impressed with him the many times he has come to the ER to admit his patients. I see him for my chronic conditions related to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

I work part time with a DO and he impresses me more than my primary care physician. Unfortunately, he is not on my insurance plan. My doctor, the MD, treats the specific condition I present with, the DO treats more holistically. He looks past the main complaint and treats the patients in a more preventative way. For example, my PCP has never tested me for vit-D deficiency whereas the DO tests all new patients for it. BTW, vit-D deficiency is more common than you may think, Google it.

I have seen my PCP for pain behind my shoulder blade and he tells me to take Motrin. When I mentioned the problem one day at work with the DO he evaluated me and adjusted my spine like a chiropractor would and my pain instantly disappeared. DOs are trained in musculoskeletal adjustments, however not all of them continue the adjustments when they start their own practice.

There are fewer DOs as compared with MDs so it may be more difficult to find a DO in your insurance network, however I recommend them highly.

[rotor]

Once upon a time they were not of the same training but virtually every osteopath and medical doctor do the same residency together now and I think that you can be comfortable with either a D.O. or an M.D. as your physician.

[TNacp99]

There are good and bad physicians in both MD and DO categories. In regards to primary care fields (internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics, etc), I have seen excellence in both MD and DO. When it comes to specialty care, however, I have found more consistency in quality with MDs than DOs.
Whereas MD graduates have many programs to choose from when they specialize, DOs are often limited in their selection. Not only are there less programs within a specialty to select but the programs themselves are also usually smaller in size. Whether or not a smaller program is better or worse than a larger program is not always clear. In general, however, a larger program (more residents, more faculty, larger and better facilities, more patients, more rotations, more experiences, exposure to more difficult cases) will offer better training than a smaller program.
There is a perception that acceptance into a DO medical school is generally easier than into an MD program. I do not know how true this is.
Bottom line, for a PCP i would feel comfortable with both. For a specialist, I favor MDs. Regardless, research your physicians as thoroughly (if not more) as you research your ammunition, firearm, and gear.

Disclosure: I am an MD.

[Redneck_Buddha]

I saw a DO for my most recent physical and was surprised that he was trying to push Lipitor on me for what was basically high/normal cholesterol. Given the new federalized healthcare model which shall remain nameless, I asked him not to write the prescription.

[WildBill]

I saw a DO for my most recent physical and was surprised that he was trying to push Lipitor on me for what was basically high/normal cholesterol. Given the new federalized healthcare model which shall remain nameless, I asked him not to write the prescription.

Lipitor is one of the drugs du jour. Apparently for both the DO as well as the MD.