If you’re interested in the medical field but don’t want to become a medical doctor, you can consider a career in the field of osteopathy. Osteopathy is a holistic and broad approach to traditional medicine that contains many of the hallmarks of the medical field such as licensing and residency.

What Is a Doctor of Osteopathy?

A doctor of osteopathy is a fully-licensed medical professional. Most doctors of osteopathy will go through a residency program just like a medical doctor and will be trained in a variety of medical techniques throughout their education. Osteopathy has a little in common with chiropractic medication, as osteopathic doctors will gain training in the manipulation of muscles and skeletons within the body.

Osteopathy itself is a holistic medical treatment that spans a very broad spectrum. Osteopaths are usually general physicians, but they may also enter into fields such as emergency medicine, gynecology or pediatrics. A doctor of osteopathy has the same opportunities as other types of medical doctor and is an excellent choice for those that are interested in alternative medical treatments.

What Does a Doctor of Osteopathy Do?

Osteopathic doctors can become virtually any type of doctor. Following their residency, an osteopathic doctor can specialize in specific types of medicine. Emergency doctors will work with emergency staff to treat those that come in with dangerous injuries. Pediatric physicians will use the unique holistic approach of osteopathic medicine to treat children and gynecologists will use the same treatments in the treatment of women.

Most osteopathic doctors will become a general medical doctor and run their own private practice or partner with similar physicians. These doctors will be listed in directories, take insurance payments and acquire clients based on word of mouth and proximity. Osteopathic doctors have an extraordinary amount of opportunities within the medical field, even including highly specialized fields such as surgery and anesthesia. A relatively new field, osteopathic medicine is a very exciting career option.

How Do You Become a Doctor of Osteopathy?

A doctor of osteopathy will go through an extremely rigorous medical training program very similar to medical doctors. Students can also work as interns while in school. Once their degree is completed they can enter into the National Residency Matching Program which will give them experience and training on the job. After residency a doctor can choose to work for a hospital, medical institution or open their own clinic. Like other doctors, a doctor of osteopathy will be required to attend continuing education classes and remain licensed by the American Osteopathic Association.

To enter into an osteopathic program, as with a medical program, a student should have a Bachelor’s Degree. The Bachelor’s Degree does not have to be related to medicine but a degree in Biology or related to medicine is usually preferable. A doctor of osteopathy also requires certification in addition to licensing.

How Do You Advance as a Doctor of Osteopathy?

Osteopathic doctors can advance by starting their own clinics and building their clinics up over time. They can hire other osteopathic professionals and grow their clinic in a variety of ways. Doctors can also move into specializations that have higher pay scales, such as anesthesia.

Surgical doctors can advance based on their successes within the operating room and other physicians that work with hospitals and medical care facilities can grow their reputation through successful treatments. An osteopathic doctor has a large amount of mobility within the medical field, very similar to other medical physicians. They can further expand their clinics with related holistic treatments.