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Plus, the profession marked record-high match rates, total osteopathic medical students and women in primary care.
The AOA’s 2026 Osteopathic Medical Profession (OMP) Report provides an annual update on the growth within the osteopathic medical profession. Read on for a summary of current demographics and trends related to the practice of osteopathic medicine.
When A.T. Still, DO, established osteopathic medicine more than 150 years ago, he grounded the philosophy in whole-person care and the connectedness of the body’s systems. He also pioneered the idea of wellness and treating the patient rather than the symptom. A forward thinker, he enrolled six female students in his inaugural medical school class.
Advancing from these founding principles, the osteopathic medical profession continues to grow year over year. This past year has seen significant growth in the total number of Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) in active practice,* women osteopathic physicians and DOs providing vital access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas across the country.
In 2025, the total number of osteopathic physicians and medical students surpassed 200,000 for the first time, numbering 207,158. In 2026, the number of osteopathic physicians and medical students is over 218,000, with DOs now accounting for approximately 14.1% of all physicians, up from 11% in 2025.
Total DOs & Students
218,000DOs in the U.S.
167,740
For the first time in AOA Physician Masterfile records, women make up the majority of DOs practicing in primary care. In 2026, 50.2% of osteopathic physicians actively practicing primary care are women, up from 46.3% less than a decade ago. With that, more than 50,000 female DOs under age 45 are practicing today—a milestone crossed for the first time this year.
of osteopathic physicians in primary care are women
50.2 %female DOs under age 45 in practice today
50K+
Twenty-nine percent of medical students attend an osteopathic medical school today. The record-high number of current osteopathic medical students—41,001—is 10 times the enrollment number recorded nearly 50 years ago. As more medical students choose the osteopathic path, educators have risen to meet demand.
While student populations soar, so do residency match rates for DOs. For the fourth consecutive year, the highest number yet of osteopathic medical students and graduates obtained residency placements in the 2026 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match. With a total of 7,928 DO seniors matching, the DO senior match rate was a record-high of 93.2%, a 0.6% increase from last year. DO seniors achieved a 98.8% final residency placement rate, with 9,019 seniors placing into residency training.
final residency rate of DO seniors
98.8 %record-high DO students
41K+
As we celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, we see the osteopathic medical profession expand from sea to shining sea. The number of DOs grew in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2026, with 20 states outpacing the national growth rate of 6%.
Indicative of the osteopathic medical profession’s commitment to providing healthcare access in rural and underserved areas, the steepest gains came in states where DOs have historically been fewest. Louisiana grew 13.8% year over year, followed by Idaho at 11%, Nevada at 10.4%, New Mexico at 9.7% and Arkansas at 8.6%.
The six largest DO states accounted for 42.9% of all osteopathic physicians in 2026, down slightly from 43.1% a year earlier, as growth continues to spread into states with the fewest physicians per resident.