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Over the last decade, the number of enrolled osteopathic medical students has risen by 77% in the United States. The holistic approach to healthcare and the preventative philosophy of DO schools is becoming increasingly attractive for prospective med students.
What is an osteopathic physician? An osteopathic physician is a medical doctor that received their education from an osteopathic college. They are Doctors of Osteopathy (DOs) rather than MDs (medical doctors) and hold equal status to MDs as physicians.
As you prepare your school lists, you too may be drawn to DO programs. There are now 40 different DO colleges with American Osteopathic Association accreditation. These schools have 64 site locations across the US.
What Are DO Schools?
DO Schools, or colleges of osteopathic medicine, offer programs for training students to become Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). Unlike their MD counterparts, DOs are trained with an emphasis on treating the whole person.
Pre-med students apply to DO schools via AACOMAS. The medical school application process is fairly similar between AACOMAS and AMCAS (the application for MD programs).
The medical training between allopathic (MD) medical schools and osteopathic medical schools is, for the most part, the same. Both schools are traditionally four-year programs that teach students how to treat patients, prescribe medications, and perform procedures.
What is the difference between an MD and DO school? An MD school has a greater focus on diagnosing and treating diseases, while DO schools integrate holistic approaches, emphasizing primary care, wellness, and the body’s ability to heal.
In addition to this philosophical difference between allopathic and osteopathic medicine, DO schools require 200 hours of training in osteopathic manipulative medicine in addition to the regular curriculum.
What are the tuition fees for DO schools? Tuition fees for DO schools in 2022-2023 ranged from a little over $13,000 for in-state tuition at one Texas school to over $60,000 per year nationally.
Reasons to Choose Osteopathic Medical Schools
Your personal views and future goals as a physician will play a role in choosing what type of medical school to attend. There are a number of reasons to choose a DO school over an MD school.
- Whole-Person Approach — You may align better with the osteopathic approach of addressing the whole person rather than the symptoms of a patient.
- Preventative Medicine — Should you choose a DO school, you will learn how to help patients with preventative care, avoiding illness and injury in the future.
- Focus on Primary Care — 57% of DO graduates practice in primary care fields. If you know this is the specialty for you, consider a DO program.
- GPA and MCAT Requirements — DO schools have slightly lower minimum requirements, on average, for pre-med GPA and MCAT scores. If your scores are low-to-average and you’re set on continuing your medical education immediately, DO schools may be a good option.
- Desire to Serve — Osteopathic schools often emphasize the importance of community commitment. They are a good choice if you have the desire to work in underserved communities, particularly to educate your patients on improving overall wellness (such as lifestyle and dietary guidelines).
Our Physician Advisors can help you stand out among medical school applicants.
Database of DO Schools in the United States
Top 10 DO Schools in the U.S.
University of North Texas Health Science Center
This Texas school is one of the highest-ranked medical schools for primary care. TCOM was awarded the highest level of accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, the 10-year Accreditation with Exceptional OutcomeIt. It also has the lowest tuition rate for DO schools at $13,079 for in-state residents. Because this school is in Texas you will have to apply through TMDSAS. There is no specified minimum for MCAT scores or GPA, but this school can be very competitive because it only allows 10% of the seats to be from non-Texas residents.University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
Not only is the University of Pikeville Kentucky located in the beautiful Appalachian mountains, but it is also one of the top five most affordable private medical schools. The curriculum here prepares students for primary care residencies and teaches patient-centered care while using the most up-to-date technologies. This university also tries to support med students with fewer financial resources by offering a Student Advantage Program separate from federal financial aid.Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
This college is one of the largest and most affordable osteopathic colleges. Lake Erie has campuses in Pennsylvania, Florida, and New York. They offer varied learning pathways, including traditional lecture-based, problem-based, independent study for first-year and second-year students, and a pathway created for primary care scholars. LECOM also offers the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited residencies in family medicine, orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, pharmacy, and podiatry.Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Situated in Athens, Ohio, this college focuses on rural medicine and primary care. It has partnerships with leading healthcare systems for clinical training. In 2023, this school boasted a 98% match rate for residents. There are 29 available teaching hospitals that third and fourth-year students have the opportunity to work in. Additionally, Heritage offers dual degree programs, like a DO/PhD, if you want to become a medical scientist.We can help you match with the residency of your choice with comprehensive coaching.
William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
With a focus on continuous learning, research, service, and hands-on clinical experience, this school teaches students with a community-centric educational approach. WCU is consistently ranked as a top school in the South.
Their graduates are dedicated to addressing the healthcare necessities of all, especially focusing on the medically underserved and diverse groups in local, national, and global communities.
Western University of Health Sciences
WesternU integrates principles of biomedical ethics and a humanistic approach into its curriculum. At this school, you will learn to become a culturally sensitive professional while the faculty nurtures your passion for healing.
WesternU also has an Interprofessional Education program that promotes an understanding of other health professions for better collaboration in healthcare settings.
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ranking #71 in the U.S. News best medical schools for primary care and #111 for research is Michigan State University. This school is renowned for research, community outreach, and producing skilled practitioners.
They have an extensive clinical rotation network, too, for hands-on training.
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
If you have a hard time with lecture-structured learning, the curriculum tracks at Rowan may be for you. Programs here focus on small groups, standardized patient encounters to learn patient care, simulators, and community primary care.
This school has affiliations with large hospitals, such as Jefferson Health Stratford Hospital and Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, to provide extensive clinical experience.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ranked one of the best medical schools for serving rural areas and underserved areas, this college’s mission is to educate students to become community-focused physicians.
Preliminary numbers for the 2023 Match show a near 100% match rate for VCOM students.
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
WVSOM is one of the best schools for making a difference in the lives of rural Appalachia. This school has been on the U.S. News rankings for 24 consecutive years.
While many DO schools are geared toward primary care, WVSOM boasts many former students who have matched into specialties like neurology, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, and more.
How to Choose the Right DO School for You
To select a DO school to apply through via AACOMAS, consider these factors:
- Competitiveness — While the minimum requirements for getting into a DO school may be lower, that doesn’t mean they are easier to get into.
- Location — There aren’t as many DO schools compared to MD schools. Location options are limited because of this.
- Salary — Statistically DO physicians have lower annual salaries than their MD counterparts.
- Rankings — When paired up against all medical schools, DO schools are lower in the U.S. News ranking table for medical schools. However, when looking at primary care programs specifically, you’ll find five osteopathic schools on that list.
Choosing a medical school is an important decision for an aspiring physician. There are several misconceptions about DO schools and osteopathic medicine. Often, people don’t understand that a DO and MD are both medically trained, licensed physicians.
DOs are also thought to be only primary care physicians. This isn’t true. DOs can be found in many other specialties.
Now that the National Resident Matching Program has merged MD and DO graduates together, the match rate for DO students into residencies has increased.
Many of the common misconceptions about DOs are changing as osteopathic medicine’s popularity increases. There are still some considerations to keep in mind when deciding on a DO med school.
Is osteopathic medical school harder than allopathic medical school?
Osteopathic schools aren’t necessarily harder than MD programs, but there are a few more hoops to jump through, such as learning OMM and taking an additional set of board exams. Still, both DO and MD programs are academically rigorous.
Before 2015, it was more difficult to match with a residency as a DO student. However, in the many years since, DO and MD students participate in the same residency Match.
A viral Reddit thread on this topic found that many DO students found their education to be more time-consuming than MD students with the addition of OMM and an extra board exam. Commenters also underscored the stigma of the “DO” title as a factor in their perspective, despite the fact that it is quite literally equal to an MD title.
Becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
The route to becoming an osteopathic physician starts during your pre-med studies. These schools tend to have slightly lower minimum requirements, but there are fewer DO programs than MD programs, so they are still equally as competitive.
When applying to DO schools, you will use AACOMAS. You are still required to submit transcripts, letters of recommendation from professors and mentors, a work and activities section, and a personal statement.
Once you have completed a DO program, you will be required to take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) to become a licensed medical doctor. Doctors can then pursue residency through the National Resident Matching Program.
Make Your AACOMAS Application Stand Out
DO schools are looking for well-rounded applicants with a demonstrated passion for community and whole-person care. This pathway provides a different perspective on medicine, patient care, and the healing capabilities of the body.
Whether you are hoping to become a primary care physician or just drawn to the osteopathic philosophy, MedSchoolCoach can help you stand out.
Renee Marinelli, MD
Dr. Marinelli has practiced family medicine, served on the University of California Admissions Committee, and has helped hundreds of students get into medical school. She spearheads a team of physician advisors who guide MedSchoolCoach students.
