Osteopath vs. Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Andrew Taylor Still’s osteopathic manipulation seems to be at a fork in the road. Some osteopathic physicians or doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) are outraged that manual therapists, such as massage and physical therapists, are performing and marketing osteopathy to the public. On the other side of the spectrum, different minded DOs are thrilled and excited to train eager pupils. The angered DOs criticize that these manual therapists are putting both patients and the profession in harms way. Opposing DOs state osteopathic physicians trained in the United States (US) do not show suffice interested in Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment/Medicine (OMT/OMM), while other American professions are keen to learn A.T. Still’s Osteopathic Principles and Practices (OPP). If osteopathy were a regulated profession in the US with set educational standards, the training of manual osteopaths would not be in question. In the United States, according to the “American Osteopathic Association,” there are over 82,500 DOs. According to “Still Magazine,” only 20% of American DOs use OMT/OMM on more than half of their patients. This means that 80% of US trained DOs practice like MDs. Nevertheless there are plenty of DOs who do not practice OMM that are passionate about A.T. Still’s holistic philosophy and proud of their distinctive training and approach. This displays that the DO profession does not have to be defined by the use of OMT. A key reason DOs are confident in training non-physicians in osteopathic manipulation, is that manual therapists are already performing techniques similar to OMM. Although OMT is central to DOs, soft tissue and skeletal manipulations are not exclusive to osteopathic physicians. Chiropractors, massage therapists (MTs), bodyworkers, physical therapists (PTs) and acupuncture physicians (APs) all incorporate some form of manipulation into their practice. The difference is that these professions do not practice osteopathic medicine, which is reserved for osteopathic physicians trained in the US. Just like distinctions between MTs, PTs and APs, there should be clarification between MDs practicing OPP, DOs practicing OMM, DOs practicing osteopathic (holistic) medicine that do not perform OMM, and osteopaths practicing osteopathic manipulation. In the United Kingdom (UK) osteopaths are recognized and regulated professionals that have a pure manual practice. They do not practice osteopathic medicine, prescribe medication or perform surgery. This places the standards of education for osteopaths in the UK significantly higher than in countries where osteopathy is not regulated like in the US. Highlighting the difference between MDs, DOs and osteopaths is simple. Reserve OMM/OMT for osteopathic physicians practicing osteopathic manipulation. Reserve osteopathic medicine for DOs following A.T. Still’s philosophy. Reserve OPP for MDs practicing OMM/OMT, and reserve osteopathy for manual therapists practicing osteopathic manipulation that hold a doctoral degree in osteopathy. Regulate the profession, clarify the distinctions and solve the problem. My degree is a B.S. in exercise and sports sciences, focused in applied physiology and kinesiology. I have studied human movement and manual therapy in depth. I am a licensed massage therapist, a registered yoga teacher and a nationally certified bodyworker with NCTMB. I have published numerous articles and videos on stretching, yoga, myofascial release, anatomy and bodywork for ehow, LIVESTRONG, Chron, AZ Central Living, ModernMom and TheNestWomen. However, I have not fulfilled a terminal degree because a doctoral degree in osteopathy is not offered in the United States. Therefore I am forced to go outside the US to accomplish my goals. But even when I graduate, my desired profession is not recognized in my country, which complicates how I help my clients, whom I cannot call patients. My desire to master Andrew Still’s techniques stems from my artful ability to palpate and manipulate soft tissue. I am extremely passionate about the health of the myofascial system and am a founding member of the Fascia Research Society. I, in every way, want to get involved with research and know I can make a difference in people’s lives but have little interest in attending medical school. All I want is to be recognized as a pure osteopath. The reason I am aspiring to attain a doctor of osteopathy from the National University of Medical Sciences is to learn Andrew Taylor Still’s osteopathic principles and practices. I want to enhance my knowledge of the human body, improve my manual practice, and gain the credentials I need to help guideline education for osteopaths in the US, giving osteopathy the recognition is deserves and the regulation it desperately requires. As stated by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 13:48:31 +0000
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