2024 Osteopathic Medical Profession Report tracks expansion of osteopathic medicine. 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.
The latest census of physician licensees shows a growing population of female physicians and those with a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) degree.
In 2022, 37% of the physician workforce was female, compared with 30% in 2010, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards’ (FSMB) biennial “Census of Licensed Physicians in the U.S.” The number of licensed female physicians grew by 54% since 2010, compared with an 11% increase for male physicians, reported Aaron Young, PhD, of the FSMB, and colleagues.
In addition, the percentage of DOs in the physician workforce rose to 11% from 7% during that time, and the number of doctors with a DO degree grew 89% from 2010 to 2022, compared with an 18% increase for MDs, they noted in the Journal of Medical Regulation.
For 35 years, this town’s residents have brought all manner of illnesses, aches, and worries to Kevin de Regnier’s storefront clinic on the courthouse square — and he loves them for it.
De Regnier is an osteopathic physician who chose to run a family practice in a small community. Many of his patients have been with him for years. Many have chronic health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or mental health struggles, which he helps manage before they become critical.
Quality and cost of care were similar between allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians who care for older patients in hospital settings, according to a retrospective observational study.
Of over 300,000 Medicare admissions, the adjusted 30-day mortality rate was similar between MDs (9.4%) and DOs (9.5%), with an average marginal effect (AME) of -0.1 percentage point (95% CI, -0.4 to 0.1, P=0.36), reported Atsushi Miyawaki, MD, PhD, of the University of Tokyo in Japan, and co-authors.
Some racial and ethnic groups are underrepresented in the medical field because they face unique barriers to admission to medical school. One admission requirement that can present a barrier for applicants is the physician letter of recommendation (PLOR). Undergraduate students report confusion with the application process and lack of mentorship to be two of their biggest challenges to becoming a doctor. It is especially challenging to those who already have limited access to practicing physicians. Therefore, we hypothesized that in the presence of a PLOR requirement, the diversity of students who apply and matriculate into medical school will be decreased.
Diego Dominguez’ trail to becoming an Oklahoma State University Scholar in Urban Medicine and a third-year medical student started years ago when he was just 12 years old on his first visit to a doctor after moving from El Salvador to his new home in the United States. That visit did not go well.
“I couldn’t explain my symptoms in a different language and unlike the other patients at the clinic I didn’t have anyone to translate for me,” Dominguez recalls.
Do you want a less qualified individual performing your surgery or other invasive procedures, ordering x-rays and lab tests, and being responsible for telling the difference between a life-threatening condition and one that is less serious that shares similar symptoms?
If your answer is no, can you identify which of the following health care professionals complete medical school and residency training, qualifying them for unlimited medical licensure in every state?
Hard thresholds for pain medication doses and duration are no longer promoted through the CDC’s new Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain. The new guidance — which covers acute, subacute, and chronic pain for primary care and other clinicians — updates and replaces the controversial 2016 CDC opioid guideline for chronic pain.
Abortion Guidelines for Oklahoma osteopathic physicians were approved by the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners at its September 15, 2022, Special Board Meeting.
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The number of doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) is enjoying a significant growth pattern. This year alone, 7300 osteopathic physicians are entering the workforce, and they make up more than 25% of the medical student population. The pipeline of future DOs is at an all-time high of 36,500 students, according to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
