JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Have you ever been at a medical appointment and noticed the provider has Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine listed after their name instead of Medical Doctor? Don't worry. You are in good hands with all of our providers! Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine are fully trained and certified medical doctors, licensed to prescribe medicine and perform surgery.
In the United States, there are two types of physicians who are granted license to practice medicine: MDs and DOs. Though these two types of physicians were historically from different backgrounds with different training, there are little differences that separate them today.
Medical Doctors study what is called allopathic medicine which refers to the use of pharmacologic agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms or conditions. This is considered "Western" or modern medicine.
"I chose to become an MD because I wanted to train in the most scientifically evidence-based and competitive environment available, which best aligned with my conception of modern medicine," said Capt. Patrick Glynn, a MD at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center's Emergent Care Center.
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine look at the body from a holistic basis with a focus on the structural or orthopedic system.
"For that reason, training for a DO will include osteopathic manipulation, much like that which a chiropractor performs," said Capt. Eli Cohen, a DO who works alongside Dr. Glynn at MGMCSC's ECC. "DOs help patients develop attitudes and lifestyles that don't just fight illness, but also help prevent disease."
"I chose to practice osteopathic medicine because I wanted to treat the whole person, not just the symptoms," said Cohen. "I look at all the factors that impact a person's health to treat and diagnose."
To become a DO, an individual must graduate from one of the nation's osteopathic medical schools accredited by the American Osteopathic Association's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. After completing osteopathic medical school, DOs obtain graduate medical education through internships, residencies and fellowships like MDs do. While DO training does focus on primary care, their graduates can train and practice in any surgical or medical field.
"As an emergency care physician, I have a greater willingness to use physical exam to diagnose and treat patients," said Cohen. "Short of getting manipulation from me, most of my patients would be hard pressed to discern which type of provider they are seeing without first checking my credentials."
At MGMCSC, a doctor by any other name is still a doctor. And excellent care is our business.