Lassen Medical Group: Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic medicine (formerly known as osteopathy) is "a complete system of medical care with a philosophy that combines the needs of the patient with current practice of medicine, surgery and obstetrics. The emphasis is on the interrelationship between structure and function, and has an appreciation of the body's ability to heal itself." 1 Outside the United States, "osteopathic medicine" is often used interchangeably with "osteopathy".

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or DOs, are trained to apply the philosophy of treating the whole person (a holistic approach) to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease and injury using conventional medical practice such as drugs and surgery, along with manual therapy (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine or OMM).

As with Doctors of Medicine (MDs), DOs educated in the United States are fully licensed physicians and surgeons who practice the full scope of medicine. Currently, there are 27 accredited osteopathic medical schools in the United States and 125 accredited U.S. allopathic medical schools.