Choosing the Right Path For You: Allopathic vs. Osteopathic

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Written by: Casi Wilson

Position, Member Since: High School Liaison, Joined Fall 2022

Major & Track: Biology, Pre-Med

Current Year: 4th Year

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When applying to medical schools, one of the first choices every applicant must make is whether they are interested in M.D. (allopathic) or D.O. (osteopathic) programs. While both of these produce successful physicians, there are fundamental differences between the philosophies of these two approaches, and knowing them early is key to knowing which path is right for you!

First it seems beneficial to define both of these terms – allopathy has a more literal definition and involves the “treatment of disease with the opposing medication” while osteopathy focuses on treatment through “bodily manipulation” and is typically a more holistic approach. With that being said, both types of physicians have the ability to prescribe medications, order testing, and work with various specialties, so your options are not truly limited by either option. However, there are specific M.D. and D.O. residency programs, so it is important to do your research when considering your options. 

The allopathic approach typically involves quicker results and is often dubbed the “system-based” approach, focusing on treating the symptoms of specific conditions and diseases. 

The osteopathic approach tends to have more long-term results, being called the “patient-based” approach, and focusing on holistic and preventative means of treating diseases.

Because of these two facts, the M.D. track tends to lead to more specialists, and the D.O. to generalists, although, again, this is not a limitation of either track, but more of an overall trend. 

Personally, I like to think of allopathy as being an approach that relies more on inputs and outputs, identifying symptoms within patients and using their knowledge to treat those specific ailments. Osteopathy, on the other hand, relies more on an overall assessment and problem-solving to root out underlying causes and treat patients as a whole.

Interestingly, there are also many technical differences between the tracks, as there are over 100 M.D. schools and less than 50 D.O. schools. Additionally, they also use different application portals, with most M.D. schools relying on the AMCAS (the same organization that provides and administers the MCAT), and D.O. schools using the AACOMAS. When applying, it is also important to keep in mind that there are differences in word/character counts for personal statements, experiences, and the like, all of which are laid out in each of the application portals. Similarly, there are some cost differences for each of these portals and their schools, another important factor for many applicants to watch out for.

All in all, every applicant’s journey is different, but is important to be informed when making the decision that is best for you! For those who have time before applications, learn all that you can before the time comes, and for those facing applications in the near-future, use your knowledge to your advantage and good luck on your journey!