If you’re an osteopathic medical student, resident or fellow, the American Medical Association is here to help. AMA offers resources to search, compare and rank residency programs and specialties, as well as guidance on navigating the residency transfer process and the fellowship search.
Residency training as a DO
Residency follows completion of osteopathic medical school and prepares residents for specific medical specialties. Doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) residents train in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residencies alongside doctor of medicine (MD) residents.
The amount of time a physician spends in residency varies by specialty. Primary care residencies are typically 3 years in length while surgical specialty programs tend to be longer. Some residents may also choose to pursue special experiences, such as research, which would add to this time in training.
Historically, many DOs choose practice in primary care specialties. “Our osteopathic history is rooted in that primary care base of taking care of the whole patient,” said Isaac Kirstein, DO, FACOI, internist and dean, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Cleveland, in an AMA Meet Your Match podcast. “So, our students who come to us who are interested in a holistic care, tend to gravitate towards more of the holistic specialties, which is why primary care is so well subscribed.”
After residency, DOs may pursue additional subspecialty training through fellowships. Fellowship programs can be research-driven, clinically focused or a balance between the two.
ACGME Osteopathic Recognition
Osteopathic Recognition is a designation conferred by the ACGME Council for Graduate Medical Education’s Osteopathic Recognition Committee upon ACGME-accredited programs. Through a formal application process, these programs demonstrate commitment to teaching and assessing Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) at the GME level.
In the 2025 Match, graduates of U.S.-based osteopathic medical schools achieved a 92.6% match rate, according to data from the National Resident Matching Program cited in a 2025 episode of AMA Update.
Search graduate medical education programs with Osteopathic Recognition on FREIDA™
FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®, allows you to search for a residency or fellowship from more than 13,000 programs—all accredited by the ACGME. You can also filter your search for Osteopathic Recognition residency programs, including the following:
- Allergy and immunology
- Anesthesiology
- Dermatology
- Emergency medicine
- Family medicine
- Internal medicine
- Neurological surgery
- Neurology
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery
- Pediatrics
- Plastic surgery
- Psychiatry
- Surgery-general
- Transitional year
- Urology
For those just beginning to consider their steps after medical school, FREIDA's Specialty Guide presents a clear, approachable overview of specialties and subspecialties to help choose a career path.
You can also take an insider’s peek at FREIDA™ with the AMA’s FREIDA by the numbers, to discover which residency programs are capturing the interest of your peers.
Follow the road to residency
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Osteopathic medicine societies
Osteopathic medicine societies provide support, professional development, advocacy and additional resources for DO medical students, residents and physicians. DOs can find opportunities to get involved at the national and state levels. Osteopathic societies include:
- American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)
- American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
- The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP)
- Student Osteopathic Medicine Association (SOMA)
Explore more AMA resources
The AMA supports DO medical students on the road to residency with exclusive member benefits tailored to their studies and career milestones.
Here are some additional resources from the AMA to help you choose the right residency program:
