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Celebrating 150 years of osteopathic medicine
Follow #DOProud150Years to join us in celebrating the history of DOs!
Join us in celebrating 150 years of osteopathic medicine, a distinctive philosophy of care that was first established in 1874 by A.T. Still, MD, DO. Through the years, the osteopathic profession has evolved to become one of the fastest-growing segments of health care, making up more than 11% of physicians and 28% of medical students in the U.S. today.
Throughout the year, we’ll be honoring the proud legacy of osteopathic medicine as we look to a future full of promise for the next generation of DOs.
150 Day Wellness Challenge
January kicks off our “150 Days of Osteopathic Wellness” challenge, featuring daily goals and activities focused on caring for your body, mind and spirit. Follow the AOA’s social channels using #DOProud150Years for featured wellness tips and join the challenge by downloading our monthly wellness calendar.
The evolution of osteopathic medicine
View the timeline below for an overview of key milestones that have shaped the 150-year history of osteopathic medicine.
1828
Founder Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO, is born.
1853
Dr. Still moves to Kansas to help his father provide care for Native Americans and soon receives training to become a physician.
1857
Dr. Still is elected to Kansas' territorial legislature.
1861
Dr. Still serves in the Union Army and is distraught by the medical care and effects of opium.
1864
Four children of Dr. Still’s die within four weeks, prompting him to rethink his medical training.
1874
After years of study and research, Dr. Still develops what would become osteopathic medicine.
1875
Dr. Still moves to Kirksville, Missouri, to work as a traveling physician.
1880s
Dr. Still's reputation grows, and he coins the term "osteopathy."
1892
The American School of Osteopathy (now ATSU-KCOM) opens in Kirksville, with Dr. Still as the first president.
1894
The Journal of Osteopathy begins publication.
1896
Vermont is the first state to license osteopathic physicians for medical practice.
1897
The American Association for the Advancement of Osteopathy (now the American Osteopathic Association) is established.
1917
Dr. Still dies at age 89 in Kirksville, Missouri.
1922
The Andrew Taylor Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery (ATSCOS), is founded by George M. Laughlin, DO.
1951
U.S. Congress amends the Social Security Act to include osteopathic physicians.
1967
DOs are eligible to serve as physicians in the U.S. military.
1973
The DO degree is recognized in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
2005
Louisiana becomes the 50th state to accept the COMLEX examination.
2016
The number of DOs in the U.S. surpasses 100,000.
2017
125th anniversary of the opening of the first college of osteopathic medicine.
2017
One in 4 U.S. medical students attends an osteopathic medical school.
2020
The successful transition to a single GME accreditation system is completed. First combined DO and MD Match takes place.
2020
The number of DOs and osteopathic medical students surpasses 150,000.
2020
The JAOA is renamed Journal of Osteopathic Medicine.
2023
47 countries vote to support practice rights for DOs.
2024
Celebrating 150 years of osteopathic medicine.
Video gallery
Hear from DOs and osteopathic medical students about how the legacy of the profession continues to shape the practice of osteopathic medicine today.
AOA Past Presidents reflect on the evolution of osteopathic medicine:
AOA trustees discuss the growth and advancement of the profession:
Leaders of the profession look toward the next 150 years of osteopathic medicine:
DOs share their favorite things about osteopathic medicine:
Osteopathic physicians and medical students explore the DO distinction:
Flat A.T. Still is on the move!
Just like Flat Stanley in the 1990s and 2000s, Flat A.T. Still is trotting the globe to celebrate the anniversary of osteopathic medicine. Follow his journey using our Flat A.T. Still Tracker.
Download your own Flat A.T. Still
Join the fun by printing your own Flat A.T. Still, available below in three sizes. Help share the word by posting a pic of you and Flat A.T. on your social media channels using #DOProud150Years.
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A.T. makes a stop to visit old friends at the first joint Michigan Osteopathic Association/ Michigan State Medical Society wellness CME program.
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Flat A.T. stopped by the Coalition for Osteopathic Excellence meeting at the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Florida.
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Flat A.T. travels to Australia with AOA President Teresa Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist.) for the OIA's annual meeting.
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Flat A.T. made it to Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia, just in time to celebrate the state of Virginia declaring December 2024 as Osteopathic Medicine Month!
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Flat A.T. couldn't miss out on the fun at the AOA's staff holiday party in Chicago.
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Flat A.T. makes his debut at the AOA's 2024 Annual Business Meeting in Chicago.
Words of wisdom from A.T. Still
In 1874, A.T. Still, MD, DO, first introduced the philosophy of osteopathic medicine, which focuses on treating the body as a unit with a natural tendency toward health and self-healing. His pioneering concepts remain the cornerstone of osteopathic medicine today, demonstrated by nearly 200,000 DOs and medical students providing whole-person care to millions of patients.
Select a quote below to access a downloadable version you can print and share on your social media channels using #DOProud150Years.
Download your A.T. Still quotation
Look upon the human body as an organized brotherhood of laborers.
Download PDFI began to look at man. What did I find? I found myself in the presence of an engine, the greatest engine that mind could conceive.
Download PDFHarmony only dwells where obstructions do not exist
Download PDFAny variation from health has a cause, and the cause has a location.
Download PDFI have no desire to be a cat, which walks so lightly that it never creates a disturbance.
Download PDFA truth is only a hopeful supposition if it is not supported by results.
Download PDFWhen you fully comprehend and travel by the laws of reason, confusion will be a stranger in all your combats with disease.
Download PDFNot only must you be able to locate the obstruction, but you must have the skill to remove it.
Download PDFBasic principles must at all times precede philosophical conclusion.
Download PDFAn osteopath must know the shape and position of every bone in the body...
Download PDFWe must know the position and purpose of each bone and be thoroughly acquainted with each of its articulations.
Download PDFFollow the celebration
Follow below for updates on the 150th anniversary celebration. Check the AOA’s social media channels the My AOA mobile app for additional highlights.
President Biden, 20 states & cities recognize 150 years of osteopathic medicine
Osteopathic affiliate organizations help secure 20 state and city proclamations recognizing the critically important role DOs play in the health of their communities.
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How a DO civil rights leader and a trailblazing DO military physician helped shape osteopathic history
For 150 years, the osteopathic medical profession has grown and evolved, shaped by pioneers like civil rights leader William G. Anderson, DO, and Thomas Quinn, DO.
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Pioneers and progress: Celebrating 150 years of osteopathic medicine
As osteopathic medicine celebrates 150 years, The DO commemorates three trailblazing osteopathic physicians who have made an enduring impact on the profession.
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Honoring a legacy: 5 key figures in the history of osteopathic medicine
Read about the man who started it all, influential international DOs, a DO with a successful political career and a legendary DO basketball coach.
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Read about the enduring bond between A.T. Still, MD, DO, and his Civil War colonel
The friendship between Dr. Still and Col. Sandy Lowe exemplifies a shared commitment to service that influenced the values of osteopathic medicine.
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New documents illuminate the Civil War legacy of A.T. Still, MD, DO
Recently discovered documents reveal new details about Dr. Still’s heroic Civil War service, including his bold and inspiring leadership at the “Gettysburg of the West.”
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Timeline: A breakdown of the history of osteopathic medicine
As we celebrate 150 years of osteopathic medicine, explore the profession’s illustrious past and see how it is informing our present and future.
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Two historical artifacts reveal details about the start of osteopathic medicine
As the profession celebrates 150 years, the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine shares two compelling items from its collection, including a cast of A.T. Still, MD, DO’s hand.
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The DO Book Club, June 2024: ‘Autobiography of Andrew T. Still’
As the profession celebrates 150 years of osteopathic medicine, here’s a closer look at the autobiography of A.T. Still, DO, MD.
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