Anesthesiology Assistant Schooling: Your Complete Guide to This High-Demand Career
04 Mar, 2024
If you've ever looked at a physician's credentials and wondered what does DO in the medical field mean, you're far from alone. I encounter this question constantly from aspiring healthcare professionals, patients navigating the system, and even seasoned allied health workers who want a clearer understanding of the medical hierarchy. The short answer is that DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine — a fully licensed physician who can practice in every medical specialty, prescribe medications, perform surgeries, and deliver the same scope of care as an MD (Doctor of Medicine). But the longer answer reveals a fascinating career path with a unique philosophy, growing demand, and tremendous opportunity.
We built healthcareers.app to help people at every stage of their healthcare career find clarity, and understanding the difference between a DO and other credentials is one of the most fundamental pieces of that puzzle. In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to know about the DO designation — from the educational path and osteopathic philosophy to career outlook, salary expectations, and how DOs fit into the broader landscape of healthcare specialties including fields like kinesiotherapy and psychological testing.
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is a physician who has graduated from an osteopathic medical school accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). Like their MD counterparts, DOs complete four years of medical school followed by residency training in their chosen specialty. They pass rigorous licensing examinations, and in all 50 U.S. states, DOs have the same practice rights as MDs.
What distinguishes a DO is the osteopathic approach to medicine. Founded in 1874 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, osteopathic medicine emphasizes a whole-person approach to patient care. DOs are trained to look beyond isolated symptoms and consider how the body's musculoskeletal system, lifestyle, and environment interact to influence health and disease. This philosophy is woven into every year of their education.
I often tell candidates exploring medical careers that the differences between DOs and MDs are more about educational philosophy than clinical capability. Here's a straightforward comparison:
According to the American Osteopathic Association, there are more than 121,000 practicing DOs in the United States, and osteopathic medical schools now produce approximately 25% of all new medical students in the country. This growth reflects rising demand for physicians who embrace holistic, patient-centered care.
For candidates considering this career, I want to outline exactly what the journey looks like. Becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is a significant commitment, but it's one of the most rewarding paths in healthcare.
Like all medical school applicants, aspiring DOs need a bachelor's degree with strong coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Most successful applicants also demonstrate meaningful clinical experience, volunteer work, and leadership — qualities that align with the osteopathic emphasis on community and whole-person wellness.
Applicants take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and apply through AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service). There are currently 41 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine across the United States, many with multiple campuses. Osteopathic medical schools tend to emphasize primary care training and community-based medicine, though graduates go on to specialize in every field imaginable.
The curriculum covers the same foundational sciences and clinical rotations as allopathic programs — anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, and clinical clerkships in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics, and more. The key addition is OMT training, which gives DO students a distinctive hands-on diagnostic skill set.
After earning the DO degree, graduates enter residency programs lasting three to seven years depending on the specialty. Since the single accreditation system took full effect under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), DOs and MDs train side by side in the same residency programs. Many DOs pursue additional fellowship training to subspecialize.
DOs must pass the COMLEX-USA examination series (and often the USMLE as well) and obtain state licensure. Board certification in their specialty follows, and they're ready to practice independently.
DOs practice in every healthcare setting — hospitals, private practices, academic medical centers, military facilities, community health centers, and telehealth platforms. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics at bls.gov, the median annual wage for physicians and surgeons was over $229,000 as of their most recent data, though compensation varies widely by specialty, geographic location, and practice setting.
Primary care DOs — including family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics — tend to earn between $220,000 and $280,000 annually, while surgical and procedural specialists can earn significantly more. What I find encouraging for candidates is that the demand for primary care physicians, where many DOs concentrate their practices, is projected to grow substantially. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of up to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034, making DOs an essential part of the solution.
Understanding what a DO does becomes even clearer when you see how they collaborate with other healthcare professionals. Modern medicine is a team effort, and DOs work alongside nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, therapists, and many specialized practitioners.
One allied health field that often intersects with osteopathic medicine is kinesiotherapy. Kinesiotherapists are exercise science specialists who design therapeutic exercise programs for patients recovering from injuries, managing chronic conditions, or improving functional mobility. They often work in rehabilitation settings, VA hospitals, and military medical facilities.
DOs with a focus on physical medicine and rehabilitation, sports medicine, or orthopedics frequently collaborate with kinesiotherapists to develop comprehensive treatment plans. The DO's training in osteopathic manipulative treatment complements the kinesiotherapist's exercise-based interventions, creating a powerful rehabilitation approach. If you're interested in movement-based healthcare careers, kinesiotherapy is worth exploring — it requires a bachelor's degree in kinesiotherapy or a related field and registration through the Council on Professional Standards for Kinesiotherapy.
Another area where I see frequent questions is about who can do psychological testing. This is important because psychological assessments play a critical role in diagnosing mental health conditions, guiding treatment, and supporting disability evaluations.
In most states, the professionals licensed to conduct comprehensive psychological testing include:
So yes, a DO who is board-certified in psychiatry plays an important role in the psychological testing ecosystem — primarily by ordering evaluations, interpreting results in the context of a patient's overall medical picture, and integrating findings into treatment plans. According to the National Institutes of Health at nih.gov, integrated approaches that combine medical evaluation with psychological assessment lead to more accurate diagnoses and better patient outcomes, particularly for complex conditions like traumatic brain injury, ADHD, and neurodegenerative diseases.
I've watched the osteopathic profession grow rapidly over the past decade, and there are several reasons why more students are choosing the DO path:
Absolutely. A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is a fully licensed physician with the same practice rights as an MD. DOs complete four years of medical school, residency training, and board certification. They can prescribe medications, perform surgeries, and specialize in any area of medicine. The DO degree is recognized throughout the United States and in many countries worldwide.
Yes. DOs can specialize in any surgical field, including general surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, and more. They complete the same ACGME-accredited surgical residency programs as MD surgeons and must meet identical board certification standards. Many of the surgeons you encounter in hospitals across the country hold the DO credential.
Kinesiotherapy is an allied health profession focused on using therapeutic exercise to improve patients' strength, endurance, flexibility, and functional capacity. Kinesiotherapists often work alongside DOs in rehabilitation settings, particularly when a DO specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation or sports medicine. The osteopathic emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and hands-on treatment makes DOs natural collaborators with kinesiotherapy professionals.
Comprehensive psychological testing is primarily conducted by licensed psychologists (PhD or PsyD) and neuropsychologists. Psychiatrists — including DOs board-certified in psychiatry — can order psychological testing, interpret results, and integrate findings into treatment plans. In some states, licensed psychometrists may administer specific tests under psychologist supervision. The key is that qualified, licensed professionals guide the process to ensure accurate diagnosis.
The best choice depends on your values, career goals, and individual circumstances. If you're drawn to a whole-person approach to medicine, value hands-on training in osteopathic manipulation, or are interested in primary care (though you can absolutely specialize), a DO program may be an excellent fit. Both degrees lead to the same career outcomes, and the single accreditation system means DO and MD graduates compete for the same residency positions. I encourage candidates to visit schools, talk to current students, and consider the clinical training environment that resonates most with their vision of practicing medicine.
Understanding what DO means in the medical field opens the door to appreciating one of the fastest-growing segments of the physician workforce. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine bring a distinctive philosophy, rigorous training, and full practice authority to every corner of healthcare — from primary care clinics and surgical suites to rehabilitation centers where they collaborate with kinesiotherapists and psychiatric settings where they help determine who can do psychological testing and how those results shape patient care.
At healthcareers.app, we're committed to helping you navigate every aspect of your healthcare career, whether you're an aspiring DO, a kinesiotherapy professional, a psychologist, or any other member of the healthcare team. The medical field is vast and interconnected, and understanding the credentials behind the names on those white coats is the first step toward finding your place in it.
Leave Your Comment: