Doctor of osteopathic medicine degree still faces recognition challenges in the United States: Suggested ways to improve awareness.

Abstract

Approximately one-quarter of United States medical students train at osteopathic medical schools, which confer the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree upon graduation. That number has risen exponentially over the past several years, with the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine reporting a 65.7% increase in total enrollment since 2013. This increase is at least partly due to the opening of more DO-granting medical schools. However, despite the growing number of osteopathic physicians entering the United States workforce, the degree remains under recognized by patients, nurses, and ancillary staff within hospital systems across the country. Surprisingly, a portion of DO physicians themselves contribute to this under recognition through degree misrepresentation with the Doctor of Medicine label. These physicians have also been historically marginalized from certain competitive specialties and leadership positions, which play a role in under recognition. We suggest proper degree identification and the promotion of more DOs into leadership roles to ultimately improve awareness. Some perceptual challenges and specific barriers to career advancement persist, particularly in competitive specialties, and the continued under recognition despite more osteopathic physicians than ever in the workforce may further perpetuate biases that limit opportunities for prominent leadership roles.