Terminology for Reporting on Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic physician (DO) describes a physician who trained in the United States and can prescribe medication and practice in all specialty areas including surgery. Osteopathic physician should be used in all written and verbal communications instead of osteopath. Osteopath should only be used to describe a health care provider trained outside of the United States.

Osteopathic medicine is preferred over osteopathy when referring to medicine practiced by osteopathic physicians trained in the United States. Osteopathy should only be used when referring to the occupation of nonphysician osteopaths or those trained outside of the United States.

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is the proper name for the degree granted by osteopathic medical schools in the United States and is represented by the acronym DO. Do not use Doctor of Osteopathy, which is an outdated term for the degree. DO also may be used in place of osteopathic physician.