Osteopathic Physician (D.O.)

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Job Description

Osteopathic physicians, or D.O.s, are one of the two types of licensed physician found in the United States today.

Like their MD counterparts, D.O.S are fully qualified and trained to prescribe medication, perform surgery, diagnose injury and illness, and treat patients.

It may come as a surprise to learn that about one fifth of all medical students are studying to become osteopathic physicians.

Responsibilities

The major difference between D.O.s and MDs is that the former take a more holistic approach to medical care and also make use of osteopathic manipulative medicine.

This latter involves active manual manipulation of the musculoskeletal system.

There are two things that set osteopathic physicians apart: they believe that the body has a great capacity for healing itself of illness or injury, and that an injury or imbalance in one part of the body can cause detrimental effects not only on the part impacted directly, but also on other areas of the body.

D.O.s use manipulation of the muscles and joints to help restore the normal balance of the body and help the body regain its health in a more natural fashion.

Like allopathic doctors, D.O.s can be found in family practice, pediatrics, gynecology, emergency medicine, and anesthesiology.

Many D.O.s practice in rural areas where the population may have difficulty finding medical care. There are nearly 70,000 osteopathic physicians in the United States, and more colleges are being added to the 29 already in existence for their training.

Skills

Critical Thinking	Must use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understand Complex Medical Data	Must be able to interpret complex medical data and draw conclusions.
Complex Problem Solving	Must be able to identify complex problems and develop and evaluate corrective options and implement solutions.
Detail-Oriented	Must be able to pinpoint small details that could make or break patient diagnosis and evaluation.
Communication	Must effectively communicate with your co-workers to ensure the best care and the proper procedures. Must be able to communicate in high-stress environments.
Mathematics & Science	Must know about the human body and interactions it has with it's environment. Must know how to solve complex mathematical equations.
Systems Analysis & Evaluation	Determining how a system should work in order to fix it if problems arise.

Working Conditions

As with all physicians, osteopathic physicians can work on their own or be part of a team or clinic. D.O.s can be found not only in rural areas, but also in urban ones where family health clinics are often in short supply. In most cases, the D.O. will be a family doctor, or primary care physician.

Salary Outlook

$188,500 25^th Percentile

$312,310 50^th Percentile

$576,350 75^th Percentile

$90.63 Hourly

$150.15 Hourly

$277.09 Hourly

Estimated Annual Salary	Average Hourly Wage	Positions Nationwide
$312,310.00	$150.15	311,320

Resources

Title	Company	Location	Posted
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Physician	Signature Healthcare	Brockton, MA	06.15.2017
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Physician - Interventional Cardiology	St. James Healthcare - SCL Health	Butte, MT	02.15.2019
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Physician	Mercy Cedar Rapids	Cedar Rapids, IA	02.15.2019
Summary This postion supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing professional medical services to patients of Mercy Medical Center in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Job/Position Specific Duties Job Specific...

Staff RN- PICU Do Columbus, OH Nationwide Children's Hospital
*This is a 0.9FTE, 36 h/week position. Day/Night rotating, non-exempt, benefits eligible* The moment you walk through our doors, you can feel it. When you meet one of our patient families, you believe it. When you talk with anyone who works...
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The Spartanburg Family Medicine Residency Program in Spartanburg, South Carolina is a national leader in community family medicine education. We are seeking to add a Family Medicine Faculty Physician to serve as Rural Track Director. This...
Addiction Physician-Psych RKLD Portland, ME MaineHealth
Maine Behavioral Healthcare Department: MaineHealth Maine Behavioral Healthcare/Psych RKLD Std Hrs/Wk: Per Diem Shift: Day Shift Full/Part Time: 16 Apply Internal Apply Create Job Alert Add to Cart Job Details: Position Summary...
Physician Spartanburg, SC Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
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