Many people don’t even know there are two types – and that’s largely because the care you receive doesn’t differ much depending on whether you see an M.D. or D.O. But there are differences in how they train to be doctors, occasionally in how they practice, and many times in their overall philosophies. Here’s a takedown of the differences:
· M.D.s practice allopathic medicine, the classical form of medicine, focused on the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
· D.O.s practice osteopathic medicine which is centered around a more holistic view of medicine in which the focus is on seeing the patient as a “whole person” to reach a diagnosis, rather than treating the symptoms alone.