Prospective physicians in the United States most commonly obtain an M.D., or Doctor of Medicine degree at an accredited allopathic medical school after obtaining an accredited pre-professional degree, often in one of the sciences. Allopathic medicine is also known as conventional medicine. Doctors of Medicine in training can explore various specialties from family practice to psychiatry to surgery.
The D.O., or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree is an officially recognized alternative medical degree with a program of accredited pre-professional education followed by a degree at an accredited medical school similar to the program for Doctors of Medicine. Osteopathy is a branch of alternative medicine that focuses on a holistic view of health and disease.
There are many different medical degrees that are taught overseas and are recognized internationally as equivalents to the American Doctor of Medicine degree. The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees are common in the U.K. and various Commonwealth nations, while China uses a degree called Bachelor of Medicine.
Veterinary degrees are medical degrees pertaining to the practice of medicine, from dental to surgical to public health, on nonhuman animals. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree is an internationally recognized degree granted in the United States and around much of the world. Equivalent degrees are offered in many other countries.