Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic MedicineS (D.O.) are physicians licensed to practice medicine, perform surgery, and
prescribe medication. Like allopathic physicians (or M.D.s), osteopathic physicians complete 4 years of
medical school and can choose to practice in any specialty of medicine.
However, Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic Medicines receive an additional 300 - 500 hours in the study of hands-on manual medicine and the body's musculoskeletal system.
Like M.D.s, Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic Medicines are licensed at the state level. Osteopathic physicians who wish to specialize may become "board certified" (in much the same manner as M.D.s) by completing a 2- to 6-year residency within the specialty area and passing the board certification exams.
D.O.s practice in all specialties of medicine. Your Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine may specialize in fields ranging from emergency medicine and cardiovascular surgery to psychiatry and geriatrics. A majority of osteopathic doctors use many of the medical and surgical treatments that are used by other medical doctors.
Osteopathic medicine is dedicated to treating and healing the patient as a whole, rather than focusing on one system or body part. Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic Medicines hold to the principle that a patient's history of illness and physical trauma are written into the body's structure. Your Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine may show you entirely different ways to treat your illness or injury. Find your Alabama Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine now.