Difference between MD and DO
In terms of education and certifications, an MD (acronym for Doctor of Medicine) and a DO (acronym for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) are almost the same. An MD as well as a DO usually has an undergraduate degree of four years followed by medical training. Both are doctors with license to practice in the US. Nevertheless, their jobs differ when it comes to the type of training they receive and in terms of their philosophy related to patient care. Let’s get into a little detail.
Definitions
An MD is an acronym for Doctor of Medicine or Medical Doctor. The term was coined by a man named James Whorton, who enlightened that MDs use such treatments which affect the ill in a different way than they would affect the healthy people. For an instance, a healthy as well as a sick person may take an antibiotic.
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DOs practice the osteopathic medicine form. While they detect and treat the medical issue of a patient, they consider everything on the whole, including the patient’s body system, his nutrition and his environment. A DO gets his undergraduate degree from an osteopathic school in the US, and is American Osteopathic Associate Commission-certified in the Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
MD Vs DO
While an MD and a DO share numerous similarities like they both use scientifically-proven techniques of treatment, the major difference between an MD and DO is their patient care-related philosophy and their approach to medicine practice. Where the osteopathic philosophy is based on an all-inclusive approach, the MDs follow the allopathic approach.
Dr. Andrew Taylor Still introduced the osteopathic form of medicine in 1874. According to him, all body systems are dependent upon each other and are interrelated. Kirksville, Missouri saw the first osteopathic school in 1892, which was opened by Dr.