Osteopathic medicine is more than just an alternative to allopathic medical school; it's a unique branch of medicine with a distinct philosophy and purpose. While osteopathic and allopathic medical school programs are similar, osteopathy incorporates additional training in musculo-skeletal manipulation and takes a distinct "whole person" approach to consultation, diagnosis, and practice.

Osteopathy also focuses on promoting wellness, rather than treating symptoms of a disease. Students who plan to practice in a primary-care field are often attracted to osteopathic medical schools because they tend to emphasize general care, preventative medicine, and psychological and social aspects of treatment. While D.O.s may choose to specialize after medical school, osteopathic programs tend to focus on training well-rounded, general physicians before training specialists. Students who are interested in alternative or noninvasive treatments also find osteopathy is a good match, as the holistic and individualized approach to medicine supports unconventional methodologies and viewpoints.

Many premeds who consider osteopathic programs do so because they are reputed to have less-competitive admission standards than allopathic schools. There is an element of truth in this belief, as the percentage of accepted applicants to osteopathic medical schools usually hovers slightly above allopathic medical schools.

Nonetheless, osteopathic schools expect a high level of achievement from prospective students and their admissions policies are, by any standards, highly selective. The average GPA and MCAT scores for osteopathic matriculants in 2002 were 3.4 and 25, respectively, as compared to 3.45 and 30 at allopathic schools. However, osteopathic schools put a great deal of emphasis on a candidate's character and life experience, at times valuing personal qualities over academic achievement. A student who demonstrates a strong personal drive to be a doctor but whose grades fall below average admission criteria might have a better shot at acceptance into an osteopathic program than an allopathic program.

In the same vein, osteopathic schools are particularly attractive to older students who may have unique life experience or who may have tried other career paths before deciding to pursue medicine. In fact, nontraditional students make up about 20 to 25 percent of osteopathic students across the country.

Like M.D.s, D.O.s are licensed in the United States and Canada through state licensing boards. For licensure, D.O.s must pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX-USA), administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. After completing coursework and passing the board examination, osteopathic physicians complete their training as residents in a medical specialty. In addition to over 500 osteopathic residency programs approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), osteopathic physicians have the option of entering the National Residency Matching Program ("the Match"), the same residency-matching program as allopathic doctors.

Osteopathy emphasizes preventative medicine, health, nutrition, and holistic care, and the majority of osteopathic physicians choose to practice in primary care fields, such as internal medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. In particular, many D.O.s (about 39 percent) choose to work in family practice. It's a misconception, though, that all D.O.s become primary-care physicians. In fact, D.O.s are represented in every medical subspecialty, from surgery to anesthesia, and about 29 percent practice in non-primary care fields. Future osteopathic physicians should be forewarned that in order to be considered for certain allopathic residency programs - especially competitive subspecialties like Diagnostic Radiology - they must also take the licensing exam required for M.D.s, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Although osteopathic doctors are primarily trained in the United States and Canada, D.O.s have unlimited practice rights in about 50 countries worldwide. International activities are overseen by the Council on International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs (CIOMEA). As medicine continues to focus more efforts on primary care and preventative medicine, the opportunities for osteopathic physicians continue to grow. D.O.s are among the fastest-growing group of health-care professionals.