Osteopathic medicine (D.O.) is equivalent to allopathic medicine
(M.D.) in this country. The admission requirements and training are
much the same. The osteopathic college curriculum, however,
provides for emphasis on the musculoskeletal system as well as the
interrelationship of all body systems. Many government agencies
(Armed Forces, Public Health Service, and so forth) and many state
licensing boards do not differentiate between Osteopaths and M.D.'s
(or allopaths). The one principal difference between the two
professions is that an osteopath is more likely to be in family
practice while an allopath is more likely to specialize, but this
difference is diminishing. There are only a few osteopathic schools
and the competition is about the same as it is for medical
schools.
In the Fall of 1977, the New York College of Osteopathic
Medicine located in Old Westbury, Long Island opened. It
accepts students within the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey
and Connecticut. Another nearby college of Osteopathic Medicine is
Lake Erie College of
Osteopathic Medicine, located in Erie, PA.
Interested students should talk with a D.O. and visit an
osteopathic facility (e.g. Massapequa General Hospital). It is
highly recommended that the student try to get volunteer experience
either working with a D.O. or in an osteopathic facility. This
would provide the student with a valuable source for a
recommendation. S.J.U. applicants with a CUM GPA of 3.5-3.6 or
better have a very good chance of acceptance to an Osteopathic
School assuming other factors (such as motivation, character) are
good.
Students who apply to schools of osteopathy take the MCAT
(Medical College Admissions Test) exam. The American Association of Colleges
of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) processes
electronic applications, which are available at their web site.