Doctor what does md stand for

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Follow us. Choose a dictionary. Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. Grammar Thesaurus. Word Lists. Choose your language. My word lists. Tell us about this example sentence:. The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word. Compared to allopathy, it focuses more on treating the body as a whole instead of treating specific conditions.

Students of osteopathic medicine learn how to evaluate people with the same tools and procedures that students of allopathic medicine do. However, they also learn how to use osteopathic manual medicine OMM , sometimes called osteopathic manipulative treatment.

This involves using the hands to diagnose, treat, or prevent injuries or illnesses. Examples of OMM during a physical exam include:. Both DOs and MDs learn how to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and injuries. As a result, they receive much of the same training, including:. The main difference is that DOs must complete an additional hours of coursework. In addition, DOs may take additional classes covering holistic or alternative therapies. Their courses may also focus more on preventive medicine, though this is still covered in allopathic medical schools.

Both types of doctors must pass a national test before becoming licensed to practice medicine. These tests generally cover the same material, but often phrase questions differently.

Both are equally qualified to treat you and prescribe medication if you need it. You should also consider your medical needs. According to the American Osteopathic Association , more than half of DOs choose to be primary care doctors. On the other hand, a study found that only Instead, MDs tend to specialize in a specific type or field of medicine, such as cardiology or surgery.

Like D. Both M. Jaggers says. Additionally, many complete residencies at the same hospitals, and the physicians frequently become colleagues once their training is complete as well. Many D. Although D. Many M. Most D. At the same time, plenty of M. Do you feel comfortable sharing information with them? Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician?