All physicians educated in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and those educated in Canada, have completed approximately four years of education in a medical school or college of osteopathic medicine . Back to Top M.D . Later, students participate in clinical rotations in hospitals and clinics to observe and work with experienced physicians and begin to learn aspects of patient care. Students also explore various career paths, including direct patient care, medical administration, academic medicine, and research. Students undertake increasingly complex clinical rotation responsibilities while continuing to satisfy elective course requirements.
Students rotate through urban and rural settings, experiencing all major areas of medicine.
Osteopathic principles and practices are integrated throughout the four-year curriculum. Students learn to use osteopathic techniques for diagnosis and treatment of disease, as well as for disease prevention. These techniques emphasize physical, emotional and spiritual factors that can impact a patients health. Member boards of the ABMS evaluate physicians by examination and certify as diplomats those candidates who qualified. Medical specialty boards determine whether candidates have received adequate preparation in accordance with established educational standards, provide comprehensive examinations designed to assess knowledge, skills, and experience requisite to the provision of high quality patient care in that specialty, and certify those candidates who have satisfied the requirements.