Osteopathic Physician, D.O.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Osteopathic physicians differ from allopathic physicians by emphasizing the importance of the musculoskeletal system, holistic medicine, proper nutrition, and environmental factors in maintaining good health.  Osteopaths use a hands-on approach to medicine .They work primarily in osteopathic hospitals or private practice, however many allopathic hospitals now accept osteopathic physicians as staff members.  The majority of osteopaths are general practitioners, family practitioners, or emergency medicine specialists.

Average Salary:  $110,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should take the most challenging high school courses (including AP or IB courses) available in science, math, and English. After three or four years of college, prospective physicians must attend medical school.  Undergraduate requirements for admission to all medical schools include one year of basic chemistry, one year of organic chemistry, one year of biology, and one year of physics.  Some schools require course work in calculus, English, the humanities, or social science. Medical school usually includes two years of additional study in both basic and clinical sciences and is followed by a year-long hospital internship.  Physicians who want to specialize must then undertake a three-year residency in their specialty.

I don’t think I would like to become an osteopathic physician because it doesn’t really interest me to be working with the skeletal system and ensuring that it has a good health.