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Medicine

Medicine (Allopathic, Osteopathic and Podiatric)

Allopathic and osteopathic medicine all include diagnosis of disease and other medical problems and all provide for treatment through surgery and the prescription of medications. While individual modes of diagnosis and treatment may be similar, there are also distinct differences outlined below (Preparation for all both includes the MCAT).
For more information on Medicine, see:
ExploreHEALTHcareers.org to promote awareness of the many opportunities in the health professions
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) site to promote diversity in medicine MCAT 2015 Official American Association of Medical Colleges testing site

Allopathic Medicine (M.D.)

Allopathic medicine is based on the concept that the biology of diseases can be understood by reducing the body to its parts, organs, tissues, and systems. Medications and treatments are developed and prescribed based on biomedical research and systematic clinical trials.
The allopathic physician's responsibilities cover a wide range of functions in the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease, including both acute and chronic care and preventive approaches involving substantial patient education. These include diagnosing disease, supervising the care of patients, prescribing medications and other treatments, and participating in the delivery of health care. Although most physicians provide direct patient care, some concentrate on basic or applied research, become teachers and/or administrators, or combine various elements of these activities.
Physicians work in one or more specialties, including anesthesiology, family and general medicine, general internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, surgery.
For more information on pursuing an M.D. degree, see:
Association of American Medical Colleges
US Medical Schools (M.D.)
AAMC AspiringDocs.org
American Medical Association
American Medical Student Association (AMSA)

Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)

Osteopathic physicians diagnose illness and injury, prescribe and administer treatment, and advise patients about how to prevent and manage disease. A major distinction between the M.D. and the D.O is that the D.O. has a strongly holistic philosophy and practices osteopathic manipulative medicine, a distinctive system of hands-on diagnosis and treatment which focuses specifically on the musculoskeletal system.
Approximately 50% of the 54,000 osteopathic physicians in the United State practice general or family medicine, general internal medicine, or general pediatrics. The rest specialize in a wide range of practice areas, including emergency medicine, anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and surgery. Like M.D.s, osteopathic physicians are fully licensed to diagnose, treat, prescribe, and perform surgery in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For more information on pursuing a D.O. degree, see:
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
US Medical Schools (D.O.)
American Osteopathic Association
Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA)
Read about Osteopathic Medical School Profiles

Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.)

Podiatric medicine is devoted to the study of human movement, with the medical care of the foot and ankle as its primary focus. A doctor of podiatric medicine has undergone lengthy, thorough study to become uniquely well-qualified to treat this specific part of the body. Many practitioners can focus on a particular area of podiatric medicine. These options can include surgery, sports medicine, biomechanics, geriatrics, pediatrics, orthopedics, and primary care. The skills of podiatric physicians are in increasing demand because disorders of the foot and ankle are among the most widespread and neglected health problems.
For more information, see:
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
US Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
American Podiatric Medical Students Association (APMSA)