The number of osteopathic physicians in the U.S. has increased by more than 70% in the past decade.
The AOA’s Osteopathic Medical Profession (OMP) Report provides an annual update on the expansion and growth within the osteopathic medical profession. Read on for a summary of current demographics and trends related to the practice of osteopathic medicine in 2024.
This year, we join to celebrate 150 years of osteopathic medicine, commemorating the date in 1874 when frontier physician A.T. Still, MD, DO, first established the founding principles of the profession. What began as a revolutionary concept introduced by a Civil War surgeon has transformed into an expansive and thriving community of physicians and medical students dedicated to caring for the body, mind and spirit of their patients.
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or DOs, practice in every medical field and specialty available today, combining their expertise with a whole-person approach centered on listening to and partnering with their patients. Over the past 150 years, the osteopathic medical profession has grown exponentially and today represents approximately 11% of all physicians and 28% of all medical students in the U.S. More prospective physicians than ever before are choosing to become DOs, with nearly 40,000 medical students attending 42 colleges of osteopathic medicine across 67 campuses.
The pioneering spirit of Dr. Still is very much alive, demonstrated by nearly 200,000 members of the osteopathic medical profession who bring a unique whole-person approach to caring for millions of patients across the nation. DOs hold some of the most distinguished positions in medicine today, caring for the U.S. President, overseeing the NASA medical team and leading some of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals and health systems.
The osteopathic medical profession continues to expand each year, bolstered by the growing number of medical students pursuing careers as DOs. This past spring, the profession welcomed nearly 8,200 new DO graduates. In addition, approximately 40,000 osteopathic medical students are enrolled for the 2024-25 academic year, bringing the total number of DOs and osteopathic medical students across the nation to 197,398.
The profession is poised to surpass 200,000 DOs and osteopathic medical students in the year ahead, further contributing to the expansion of the osteopathic philosophy across the full spectrum of specialties. During the past three decades the number of DOs in the U.S. has more than quadrupled, increasing by 70% in the past 10 years.
Total DOs & Students
197,398DOs in the U.S.
157,456Source: AOA Physician Masterfile; number of living DOs includes an estimated 8,195 2024 graduates.
DOs bring a distinctive approach to caring for patients across the full spectrum of medicine, with a significant number choosing to pursue careers as frontline physicians in primary care specialties such as family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Reflecting the profession’s ongoing commitment to primary care, 53% of osteopathic candidates matched into primary care residency programs in 2024. These physicians—and those who will join the workforce in coming years—will play a critical role in helping to alleviate a shortage of up to 86,000 U.S. physicians by 2036, as projected by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Approximately 43% of DOs currently practice in non-primary care specialties, a 16% increase over the past decade. As the demand for well-rounded physicians continues to grow, DOs are playing an increasingly critical role in both primary care and specialized fields. Their ability to provide a whole-person approach, combined with their rigorous medical training, positions them well to meet the complex needs of patients in today’s health care landscape. Top non-primary care specialties for DOs in 2024 include emergency medicine, anesthesiology, OB-GYN, general surgery and psychiatry.
of DOs practice in primary care
57 %of DOs practice in other specialties
43 %Source: AOA Physician Masterfile. Based on 102,765 physicians who reported specialty. *Includes physicians who practice osteopathic neuromuculoskeletal medicine (ONMM).
Reflecting significant growth in the number of new graduates entering the profession during the past decade, nearly 70% of DOs in active practice today are under age 45. The number of female osteopathic physicians is also on the rise, accounting for 45% of all DOs in active practice. This percentage increases to 48% for those in active practice under age 45. Moreover, women currently make up more than 50% of all osteopathic medical students, according to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).
of active practice DOs are under 45
69 %of active practice DOs under 45 are female
48 %Source: AOA Physician Masterfile.
More medical students than ever before are choosing to pursue careers in osteopathic medicine. During the 2024-25 academic year, the AOA’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) will accredit 42 colleges of osteopathic medicine offering instruction at 67 campuses to nearly 40,000 medical students. Following medical school, DOs complete internships, residencies and fellowships, which can last between 3-8 years and prepare them to practice a specialty of their choosing.
The next generation of osteopathic medical students and residents poised to enter the physician workforce will practice medicine in a rapidly evolving health care landscape, with the advantage of blending modern innovations and a whole-person philosophy rooted in human touch and connection. This unique combination is already being actively sought by graduate medical education training programs spanning the full spectrum of specialties and geographic locations, resulting in DO seniors achieving a 99% final residency placement rate, the highest for all applicant types in 2024.
osteopathic medical students
39,942colleges across 67 campuses
42Source: National Resident Matching Program; American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.