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What is a D.O.
Osteopathic Medicine is a
unique form of American medical care that was developed in 1874 by
frontier doctor Andrew Taylor Still. Dr.
Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness of 19th century medicine and
believed that many of the medications of his day were useless and worse,
harmful. Dr. Still was one of the first of his time to study the attributes of
good health so that he could understand the process of disease. In
response, Dr. Still founded a philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date
back to Hippocrates the father of medicine. The philosophy focuses on the unity
of all body parts. He recognized the body's ability to heal itself and stressed
preventative medicine, eating properly and keeping fit. Thus Dr. Still pioneered
the concept of "wellness" 100 years ago. Today
Osteopathic physicians continue to be on the cutting edge of modern technology
with the tools of their ears, to listen to their patients, their eyes, to see
their patients as whole persons, and their hands to diagnose and treat injury
and illness.
How Does an M.D. Differ from a D.O.?An M.D. is similar to a D.O. An M.D. is physician trained at a standard four year medical school. A D.O. receives the same four year medical school training, but with the Osteopathic Philosophies tied into the basic principals of medicine. A D.O. also receives hundreds of hours of additional training in manipulative medicine techniques and diagnosis. Upon graduation from medical school, a D.O. continues with residency training in any of the medical specialties, from family practice to neurosurgery. Otherwise there are few differences; an M. D. and a D.O. have the same practice rights throughout the United States. You can find a D.O. and an M.D. working together in the best hospitals and clinics throughout the nation. D.O.'s are also found in all branches of military medicine...in fact one of the Surgeon Generals of the U.S. Army was an Osteopathic Physician!
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Copyright © 2000
Umpqua Valley Women's Care, P.C.
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