Osteopathic Medicine is the fastest growing health care profession
Today's doctor of osteopathic medicine continues to be a leader in primary health care.
More than 60,000 D.O.s practice medicine in the United States. And by 2020, the number of
practicing DOs should reach nearly 100,000.
Canada and 49 other countries now recognize US
trained osteopathic physicians. Every state offers full medical licensing to osteopathic
physicians who practice in every field of medicine.
Because of the whole-person
approach to health care,more than half of all D.O.s choose to practice in the primary care areas of
family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. You can find osteopathic physicians practicing
in every medical specialty.
Since LECOM opened in 1993, osteopathic medical school
numbers have grown from 16 to 26 colleges of osteopathic medicine, offering instruction at 34
locations in 25 states. Osteopathic colleges have more than doubled the number of their graduates
to more than 3500. With growth planned in existing schools, and as many new schools currently in
some stage of planning, the number of DO graduates could increase to more than 5000 by 2015.
With more than 18,000 students attending colleges of osteopathic medicine, one out of 5 medical
students will become a doctor of osteopathic medicine. One out of ten of those osteopathic medical
students attend LECOM, which has the largest enrollment of all medical schools in the country.