What Is Osteopathy?

Regulations And Osteopathy

Osteopathic medicine in the United States is regulated by each state. State licensing boards are what give osteopathic physicians their license to practice like any other physician in the United States. All individuals eligible to receive a Doctor of Osteopathy degree have a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree and have a minimum of three years in college. Osteopathic medicine is a distinctive type of medical practice, and Doctors of Osteopathy and Medical Doctors (MDs) are the only kinds of complete physicians in the United States. Both types of physicians are fully licensed to prescribe medication, order diagnostic procedures and laboratory tests, deliver babies, and perform surgery. The United States currently has twenty-nine accredited osteopathic medical schools. Any individual who practices osteopathy and does not hold the title of a Doctor of Osteopathy will have the title of a Manual Osteopath, Osteopathic Manual Therapist, or an Osteopathic Therapist. While they have been through advanced training in manual osteopathy, they are not Medical Doctors and are not able to perform surgery or prescribe medication.

Learn about the history of osteopathy next.