Question:
What is the difference between a MD and D.O. ???????

What is the difference between doctors that are MD's vs D.O.? Some people I've talked to would never go to a D.O. Also can D.O.'s call themselves MD's. There are 2 doctors listed on here as MD's but when I go to their web site they are listed as D.O.'s. Thanks, Robin    — Robin W. (posted on August 30, 2003)

August 30, 2003

   — John Rushton

August 30, 2003
Hi, Robin; my family doctor is a D.O. and it means Doctor of Osteopathy. Meaning she specializes in bones. My doctor can prescribe medications to me and does everything an MD would do. The difference, in my opinion, is that my doctor tries to get at the root of the problem, not just treat the symptoms. <p>These people who would never go to a D.O. are confusing them with homeopathic doctors, who try natural and herbal remedies and alternative treatments. Someone once told me, with absolute disgust in her voice, that she would never go to a D.O., like I was seeing a witch doctor or something!</p> <p>I was concerned about approaching her with wanting the bariatric surgery; I was afraid she wouldn't support it; however she has been extremely supportive and provided everything I needed to be able to get it.</p> <p>The bottom line is, D.O.s can do everything an M.D. can do, so don't let that discourage you, especially if you find someone you like and feel comfortable with. My doctor covers everything from my annual gyn exams to my arthritis care; she's also the Chief of Staff at Westview Hospital here in Indianapolis, which is an Osteopathic Hospital, and I've always received excellent care at that hospital.
   — Moysa B.

August 30, 2003
I think in reality that nowadays the DO's pretty much provide the same treatment that MD's do anyway. I would not hesitate to see a D.O.
   — [Deactivated Member]

August 30, 2003
MD's receive training that is more "hands on" is my understanding - so for surgery I'm VERY surprised there are D.O.s who specialize in gastric bypass. No, D.O.s can not call themselves an M.D., and I have never met one who would want to be called one either - I type medical transcription and if a DO gets a letter addressed as MD they get their panties in a wad. If they are listed as MD, it is probably because of a computer issue. My mother was one that "would never go to a DO" because one did a tonsillectomy on my sister and botched it big time, she had to have repeat surgery by someone else. However, there are three DOs in the town I live. One is a big quack and no one refers to him - he gets patients only by word of mouth, then looses them after he gets them to take a bunch of tests and still has no clue what is wrong with them. The other two are just amazingly-good doctors. They are both specialists (no surgery involved) and are very respected in the doctor community by other docs.
   — bethybb

August 30, 2003
Just a correction to an earlier post. An ORTHOPEDIC doctor is a bone doctor, while a doctor of osteopathy has taken training in general medicine, but the focus is on the whole person. Rather than viewing the body as a set of separate systems (circulatory, nervous, digestive, muscoskeletal, etc.), osteopathic physicians take an approach that all of these systems are interrelated, and when something happens in one subsystem it may well affect other subsystems. They have a comparable level of training as MDs, and have the same levels of individual competence, and incompetence, as MDs do (there are good ones and bad ones). They must be licensed and follow the same medical laws and protocols as MDs do. They just take a more holisitic view of the patient, and are a perfectly valid choice as a medical provider.
   — Vespa R.

August 30, 2003
My PCP is an osteopath. He is also a cardiologist. When I was going to his practice 10 years ago, I was using another of the doctors in the group who was an MD and was terrific. I left the group due to their hours, (no weekends), and went back 3 years ago when my husband and I, with different insurance plans wanted to use the same Dr.. Anyway, the original Dr. had passed away from lymphoma, and I asked the person on the phone who in the group she would reccommend. She made our appointments with one of the Drs, and said we could change if we were unhappy. When we got to the office, I saw he was a D.O.. I was nervous since I was always under the impression that there was less training for a D.O.. Boy was I misinformed. This guy is the best Dr. I/we have ever had. As a matter of fact, about 5 or 6 months after we first saw him, my husband had a heart attack. This guy was at the hospital in less than an hour on a Sunday afternoon and went right into the cath lab with him. I was so shocked and impressed. He simply got the call from the hospital that one of his patients were there and he came. He didn't even recognize me in the waiting room, but I called out to him and I have to tell you he and the others in the practice who happen to be MD's are the greatest. He or one of them was at the hospital everyday to see us and sat at he foot of his bed and explained all we needed to know as often as we needed to hear it. I have reccommended the practice over and over again, as a matter of fact made my father in law start using them, too. Anyway, my family's medical care has tremendously improved underthe care of a D.O. and his partners.
   — Fixnmyself

August 31, 2003
I love D.O.s! I prefer the holistic approach to medicine. When I lived in Fort Worth, Texas, it wasn't uncommon to be treated by a D.O. as one of the best colleges is located there. I used to sufer horribly from throat infections. My D.O. and I worked at a series of different types of antibiotics until he pronouced me at a level of normal flora. Then he got me on prophylactic decongestants/antihistamines. As long as I used them, my throat problems stayed at minimum for almost 5 years. I really liked that he did't just treat the obvious symptom but worked to get at the root of the problem.
   — Susan R.

August 31, 2003
Vespa: Thanks for the clarification there. I didn't say it right when I said my doctor specializes in bones. Sorry for the confusion! <p>Osteopathy, as defined by Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th Edition: "1. Any disease of a bone. 2. a system of therapy founded by Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917), based on the theory that the body can make its own remedies against disease and other toxic conditions when it is in normal structural relationship and has favorable environmental conditions and adequate nutrition. It uses general accepted physical, medicinal and surgical methods of diagnosis and therapy, while placing chief emphasis on maintenance of normal body mechanics and on manipulative methods of detecting and correcting faulty structure."</p> <p>As I said in my earlier post, my doctor tries to get to the root of my problems, trying exercise, nutrition, manipulation and therapy to correct them, but also providing medication when needed; not just treating my symptoms, but me as a whole person. Again, sorry for the confusion I caused by saying my doctor specializes in bones; that was inaccurate.
   — Moysa B.