3 Reasons to Consider Osteopathic Medical Schools

You may not know what a D.O., or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, degree is, but osteopathic physicians are becoming increasingly common in the U.S. health care system.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma that persists around osteopathic medicine, its training programs and its physicians, and this stigma prevents many medical school applicants from fully considering this option. Here are three reasons to avoid making this mistake.

[Learn how D.O. medical schools offer prospective medical students more options.]

1. You will still be a real doctor. Allopathic medicine and osteopathic medicine primarily differ in their understanding of disease. Allopathic medical schools are considered traditional programs, and in the U.S., they grant M.D., or Doctor of Medicine, degrees.

The term "allopathy" describes how the effects of medical interventions are "other," or "allo-," to the effects of the disease, "-pathy." Osteopathy -- "bone suffering" or "suffering from bone" -- is based on the theory that misalignment of the musculoskeletal system can cause or worsen disease states.

In practice, both types of medicine teach the same science foundations, and osteopathic physicians can prescribe the same drugs as allopathic physicians to treat the same diseases. Osteopathic students also learn musculoskeletal manipulation techniques, which they use in conjunction with conventional therapies.

Instead of taking the United States Medical Licensing Exam, D.O.s can opt to take the COMLEX, a parallel licensing exam for osteopaths. Despite these differences, it is important to recognize the similarities between D.O.s and M.D.s, and to realize that D.O.s are physicians.

2. You can still pursue an allopathic residency. While osteopathic medical students may struggle to match into competitive specialties, a D.O. degree will not prevent you from completing an allopathic residency. You may not receive your first-choice placement, but strong work in medical school and a competitive showing on the USMLE can help you match into a less-competitive specialty like pediatrics.

There are distinct allopathic and osteopathic residencies, but as of 2015, the ACGME, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, began a multiyear process to integrate all osteopathic residencies under its authority. Once complete, all D.O. and M.D. students will be able to apply to all residencies.

It is likely that little will change in terms of the selection criteria for individual programs, but this shift will streamline transfers as well as the application to a subspecialty fellowship, if desired, after residency.

[Understand how the rising need for primary care fuels growth in D.O. degrees.]

3. You may face less competition. Speaking pragmatically, attending a D.O. program is a superior option to completing medical school abroad when you consider residency match rates -- roughly 87 percent of D.O.s match directly into civilian residency programs, while 48 percent of American-born international medical graduates match directly.

This is partially because D.O.s can first apply through the American Osteopathic Association, or D.O. match program (41 percent are placed this way), and then later through the National Resident Matching Program, or M.D. match program (46 percent are placed this way). About 8 percent are placed through the "final opportunity" D.O. program, which occurs after both the D.O. and M.D. matches are over.

[Learn how medical schools prepare students for residency.]

Approximately 5 percent of D.O.s successfully enter military residencies. Overall, more than 99 percent of osteopathic medical students receive a residency, which is double the proportion of students attending medical school internationally and only participating in M.D. match options.

An osteopathic medical school is a great opportunity for a borderline applicant -- one who works hard and can master the material, but cannot necessarily improve his or her GPA and MCAT scores to the level necessary to gain entry to an allopathic program.

For those students whose performance greatly underreports their ability, taking a gap year to complete a master's degree or to repeat the MCAT may lead to more options down the line. However, if you are certain that you are comfortable with the most probable specialties for a D.O. candidate, you may wish to go the osteopathic route instead.

Vipinjeet Sandhu is a professional MCAT tutor and contributing writer with Varsity Tutors. He earned his bachelor's degree in neuroscience and behavior from Columbia College of Columbia University. He holds an M.D. from St. George's University School of Medicine.