A DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) is held to the exact same standards as an MD. Both D.O.s and M.D.s typically have a four-year undergraduate degree prior to medical training.
Both D.O.s and M.D.s have spent four years in medical education. Both take the MCAT and are subject to a rigorous application process. D.O.s, like M.D.s, choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine and complete a residency program ranging from 3-7 years. Some D.O.s complete the same residency programs as their M.D. counterparts. Both must pass a state licensing examination to practice medicine.
D.O.s perform surgery, deliver children, treat patients, prescribe medications and work in the same settings as M.D.s. D.O.s also use the same tools, treatments and technologies of medicine as M.D.s.
D.O.s do receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system, which make up the muscles and bones of a person and most have a emphasis on preventative medicine and the overall health of their patients.

The differences between a DO and an MD stem from the difference during medical school of looking at the health of the whole patient, rather than the injured or diseased part. And they are trained to listen to their patients often spending more time in diagnosing the reasons for patients ills and concerns. While this used to be a difference, many MD programs are now also embracing the “whole person” approach. Both schools now educate future doctors to be aware of the patient as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms.

Some patients prefer the greater length of time Dr. Knighton spends, but others prefer the more clinical approach of an MD. In either field a doctor can be incredibly competent, and some MDs are just as patient-friendly and just as concerned about total health as DOs.

We hope this helps you better understand the medical profession and DOs and MDs in particular. We are always here to answer any other questions you have!

Dr. Knighton is well known for his ‘bedside manner’ and attention to his patient’s concerns. We now know that how you feel about your weight, weight loss and appearance can affect your self-image and can reinforce your eating habits good or bad as well as other medical issues.