How long is osteopathic school

Recommendations for post-college, however, are included at the bottom of this timeline if you wish to take a gap year or different undergraduate path. Please consult with your health professions advisor to establish your own personalized schedule. Meet with your high school counselor to discuss pursuing a health professions career and create an academic plan. If your high school offers a pre-health track, work with your counselor to enroll in the courses.

Take Advanced Placement AP math and science classes to prepare for more difficult college level coursework. Take elective classes that help develop a background in the health professions and strong communication skills. Maintain a competitive GPA.

Develop strong time management and study skills. Volunteer with health-related organizations hospitals, the American Red Cross, nursing homes, hospices, etc. Request assistance from your high school counselor, family members, or family physicians to schedule job shadowing opportunities. Research health professions career opportunities through explorehealthcareers.

Research and attend summer health programs offered by colleges. Join or develop a student organization that is geared toward a health professions career. Join or start a local chapter of HOSA. If your college does not have a health professions advisor, view resources at the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.

Maintain a competitive GPA and reach out to on-campus academic resources, such as the tutoring center, for assistance. Develop strong study skills by forming study groups and using on-campus academic resources. Learn more about the osteopathic medical profession and philosophy by reading books, researching online, etc.

Sign up to receive The DO and other health related resources. Begin researching medical schools online. Attend recruitment events and visit medical school campuses. Join online mailing lists of programs of interest and start following them on social media. Get involved in pre-health organizations and extracurricular activities on campus. Keep records of your experiences. Work to develop a relationship with your science faculty members by visiting during office hours, participating in extracurricular activities, etc.

Look for opportunities to shadow physicians in clinical settings and keep records of your experiences. Request assistance through a health professions advisor. Find DOs specifically at doctorsthatdo. Talk with upperclassmen about how they gained experiences in the health professions or about their medical school application process.

They look beyond test scores to find healers. A DO is an empathetic partner with patients, a skill no textbook can teach, though academics are the foundation of our training. Students who exhibit excellent communication skills and have a strong background in community service demonstrate an aptitude for providing the kind of empathetic, supportive care emphasized by osteopathic medicine.

Becoming a DO If you are a well-rounded medical school candidate who believes the practice of medicine is about more than just treating symptoms and diagnosing illness, you might be interested in becoming a DO.

Both MD and DO physicians are licensed by the same state licensing boards and held to the same requirements for practicing medicine.

Both can prescribe medications and treat patients in all 50 states. While DO doctors tend to become general practitioners, they may pursue careers in any chosen specialty, including surgery. Most students attend traditional or allopathic medical schools that offer an MD.

However, osteopathic medical schools are growing in popularity. While osteopathic programs tend to be less competitive than allopathic medical schools, students in both programs receive similar training. However, osteopathic schools have a stronger focus on alternative therapies, holistic medicine and disease prevention.