A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is a fully licensed physician who practices in all areas of medicine, including surgery. DO foundational training includes the same four years of medical school curriculum as a Doctor of Medicine (MD), focusing on biomedical and clinical sciences. DO training and licensing grant them the same full medical and surgical practice rights as their MD counterparts.
Legal Authority to Practice Surgery
Osteopathic physicians are legally recognized as full practitioners of medicine and surgery in all 50 states. This legal equivalence means that a DO holds the same unrestricted license to practice medicine as an MD. State medical boards grant these licenses and recognize both DO and MD degrees as qualifying credentials for the full scope of medical practice.
The scope of practice for a DO includes the authority to diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and perform any type of medical or surgical procedure. A DO’s ability to practice is not limited by the degree they hold, but rather by the residency training they complete.
Residency and Post-Graduate Training
A DO who chooses a surgical career path must successfully complete a surgical residency program after medical school. These residencies require a minimum commitment of five to seven years of specialized training following the four years of medical school. The length of training depends on the specific surgical field, such as general surgery or neurosurgery.
The training environment for DO and MD graduates is unified under a single accreditation system for Graduate Medical Education (GME). This system is overseen by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). DO graduates now compete for and train within the same ACGME-accredited surgical residency programs as MD graduates. This transition ensures that all physicians, regardless of their medical degree, meet a common set of standards and competencies during their postgraduate surgical education.
Surgical Specialties and Certification
After successfully completing surgical residency, the final step for a DO to practice independently is achieving board certification in their specialty. Board certification is a voluntary but widely recognized process that demonstrates a surgeon’s mastery of the knowledge and skills required for their field. This involves passing a comprehensive examination, often consisting of both written and oral components, administered by a specialty board.
DO surgeons pursue certification through the same established specialty boards as their MD colleagues, such as the American Board of Surgery or the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. These boards require proof of an accredited residency and the successful completion of a set number of surgical procedures before a candidate is eligible for the examination. DOs practice across the full spectrum of surgical specialties, including orthopedic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, plastic surgery, and trauma surgery.