Osteopathy, also known as osteopathic medicine, uses a holistic approach to medicine. In other words, while traditional physicians tend to view the body as the sum of different organs, osteopaths prefer to view it as a whole entity. While they may view the human body differently, traditional physicians and osteopaths nevertheless share the same core medical training.
Studying to become a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) takes about seven years in total. In the United States, an osteopath must also be a fully licensed medical physician, which explains why the studies are relatively long. While studying for your degree, you will get the same exact training that students do who are training in traditional medicine, as well as some additional notions which are specific to osteopathy, such as the art of manipulative medicine.
Obviously, most of the recent graduates in the field of osteopathic medicine work in healthcare. As with traditional physicians, osteopaths can choose to work in a variety of medical specializations, such as general practice, surgery, pediatrics or even anesthesiology. According to U.S. employment projections, osteopaths will be particularly in demand, in future years, in rural and low-income areas.
Salaries may, of course, vary throughout the country and may also depend on the type of employer. Overall, the earnings of osteopaths are similar to the earnings of regular MDs. In 2008, the median salary for doctors working as family medical practitioners, pediatricians, and internists was $186,044 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while those practicing in medical specialties earned a median salary of $339,738 per year.