Can-DO strategy: Osteopathic medicine survives, and thrives

The discipline has flourished since its 19th-century birth. Osteopathic physicians, now nearly 50,000 strong, say collegiality spurs their progress, and the future looks bright.

By Myrle Croasdale, amednews staff. June 16, 2003.

Ed Stiles was pursuing his DO degree in Kirksville, Mo., in 1961 when he discovered his profession might be about to disappear.

The California Medical Assn. and the California Osteopathic Assn. were merging, and most of the state's DOs were becoming MDs. The osteopathic licensing board was abolished, and the state osteopathic college was taken over by the MDs. This was a major loss for the American Osteopathic Assn., and it was unclear if the trend would continue.

"We didn't know if there'd be such a thing as a DO by the time we graduated," Dr. Stiles said.

Forty-two years later, the osteopathic medical profession has not just survived, it has thrived. In 1960 there were 13,708 DOs and five osteopathic medical schools. By 2002 there were 49,210 DOs and 19 schools. Experts predict that the number of DOs will grow to 95,400 by 2020, and the number of colleges is likely to increase as well.

Dr. Stiles is now a professor at Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine in Kentucky, one of the AOA's newest schools. Prospects for Pikeville graduates are dramatically different from what they were when Dr. Stiles accepted his degree.

"I think our future is extremely bright," he said.

When he was starting out, DOs had yet to win full practice rights in all 50 states. Now they are leaders at prestigious institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic -- something Dr. Stiles never dreamed was possible in the '60s.

A combination of factors has contributed to such successes.

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