Preserving the distinctiveness of osteopathic medical practice and terminology in the U.S. is essential to helping patients make informed decisions about their healthcare
In the U.S., there are only two types of fully trained and licensed physicians: allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO, sometimes referred to as “osteopaths”). Both undergo equivalently rigorous medical schooling (MDs via schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, aka LCME, and DOs via schools accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, aka COCA) and residency training, qualifying them for unlimited medical licensure in every state and specialty. Both the LCME and the COCA are recognized as setting the standards necessary for competent practice as either an MD or as a DO, respectively, by the U.S. Department of Education.
DOs specifically bring a unique philosophy to healthcare, combining medical expertise with a whole-person approach centered on caring for the body, mind and spirit. DOs are trained to promote the body’s natural tendency toward health and self-healing and may use their hands to diagnose and treat ailments (a technique called osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT), in addition to other interventions such as medication or surgery. Osteopathic medicine is highly regulated in the U.S., and patients are protected by state medical boards that oversee practitioner licensure, discipline and ethical standards.
However, outside of the U.S., the term “osteopath” typically refers to practitioners of “manual osteopathy,” who do not attend medical school. While some countries do regulate this practice, it remains largely unregulated in many parts of the world, leading to the rise of substandard schools that promise quick degrees.
Recently, individuals affiliated with substandard non-medical schools have begun entering the U.S. and claiming to practice “osteopathy” by exploiting legal loopholes. Because they lack medical licensure (and most are unlicensed in any healthcare profession), they are illegally practicing medicine. However, due to gaps in truth in advertising laws and meaningful enforcement mechanisms, these individuals have been able to attract patients by using misleading advertising to capitalize on the public’s trust in the osteopathic profession. This deception poses a significant safety risk to patients who may have no legal recourse if they are harmed.
In addition to opposing the misuse of osteopathic terminology by non-physicians, the AOA also opposes the use of unearned credentials by physicians. Some physicians report being targeted by third-party entities marketing so-called “degree conversion” services that claim to convert a DO degree into an MD degree, or vice versa, by simply paying a fee to the organization, without the recipient completing the standardized and accredited educational pathway leading to the other degree.
These types of medical “diploma mills” or “degree mills,” often located overseas, are not accredited by the COCA, the LCME or by an accrediting agency for foreign medical schools that has received a comparability determination by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation, and they are similarly not recognized by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
There is no recognized academic or regulatory process in the US.. that permits the conversion of one primary medical degree into another. MD and DO degrees are awarded only upon completion of separate, fully accredited medical education programs, each governed by distinct accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Credentials marketed by diploma mills—often described as “certificates of equivalence” or “supplemental diplomas”—do not constitute degrees from accredited institutions and do not carry validity for licensing, employment/insurance or clinical practice.
Further, issuers may be subject to claims of deceptive or misleading business practices, and participating physicians may be at risk of state licensing board investigation for unprofessional conduct.
To protect patient safety and ensure transparency in healthcare, the AOA has developed resources to help the public and policymakers take action. Use the resources below to share information about these issues and to take action against the unauthorized practice of osteopathic medicine.