D.O's bring something extra to medicine....
Osteopathic Medicine represents a separate and distinct medical profession, with unlimited practice rights. The medical school training for osteopathic physicians (D.O) and for allopathic physicians (M.D.) consists of 4 years. It is during this time that the student physicians master their basic and clinical sciences. The DO student, however, is also trained in an additional 600-800 hours of osteopathic musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment. This involves mastery of the complex neurological and musculoskeletal relationships. It involves diagnosis of structural problems that may result in internal disease problems for the patient. Once diagnosed, the osteopathic physician is trained in the proper treatment for this problem.
While the common goal of both osteopathic and allopathic physicians is the best healthcare for their patients, the philosophical differences, and additional training requirements for the osteopathic physician, necessitates a separate licensing board which is acutely aware of both the similar and unique legislation that is necessary to effectively practice osteopathic medicine. Our separate practice act is NRS 633.