DO/MD?

Nurses General Nursing

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Quick question- what does the DO stand for; what's the difference between an DO and an MD? (Have noticed alot of our ER docs are DOs, just curious) Thanks!

Doctor of Osteopathy. Traditionally osteopaths diagnosed and treated disease based on misalignment of the spine and other bones. I think their training must be more general now. I prefer a DO because they seem more amenable to using nutrition and herbs. The IV's they order are more varied. There seems to be a lot more of them around.

DO's and MD's in my state(CA) can Rx the same things as far as I'm aware. The main difference I've noted is that the DO's are less jerky in general.Perhaps its b/c they are sort of "on the fringe" of medicine still. They can really offer a lot.

A DO and an MD are essentially the same. They both go to medical school and they both have to go through a residency program. A DO actually does a bit more because he or she not only practices medicine, they perform osteopathic manipulations on the body as well. Both are doctors and both practice medicine at the same level. A DO is a doctor with a specialty in osteopathy. I work with two DOs in my practice. Actually the whole practice consists of 2 DOs and 2 NPs.

Chris

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