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Alabama Medical Education Consortium

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Osteopathic Medicine?

In the United States, osteopathic medicine is a system of medical care with a philosophy that combines the needs of patients with the current practice of medicine and surgery. Osteopathic philosophy has an emphasis on internal relationships of structure and function, with an appreciation of the body's ability to heal itself.

Osteopathic physicians [D.O.s] attend unique medical schools; they receive the traditional four year comprehensive medical education with an additional emphasis on disease prevention and treatment of the total person, rather than their disease alone -- because of their total-person philosophy, many osteopathic physicians specialize in primary care fields such as family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and emergency medicine.

However, it's not just their philosophy that sets osteopathic physicians apart from their allopathic (M.D.) colleagues. D.O.s are also specially trained in manual medicine for treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. With this training emphasis, some osteopathic physicians specialize in rehabilitation and sports-medicine -- indeed, you'll find many D.O.s as pro-sports and college team physicians. Source: The Student Doctor Network

Physicians trained through the Alabama Medical Education Consortium are being trained specifically to practice primary medical care in rural or underserved areas.

Additional information describing the medical practice of a Doctor of Osteopathy is presented by the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine.

How does a D.O. differ from an M.D.?

M.D.s are similar to D.O.s. An M.D. is a physician trained at a standard four year medical school. D.O.s receive the same four year medical school education but with the osteopathic philosophies tied into the basic principles of medicine. D.O.s also receive hundreds of hours of additional training in manipulative medicine techniques and diagnosis. Upon graduation from medical school, D.O.s continue with residency training in any of the medical specialties, from family medicine to neurosurgery. (Alabama Medical Education Consortium participants will continue with residency training in primary care.)

Otherwise there are few differences; M.D.s and D.O.s have the same practice rights throughout the United States. You can find D.O.s and M.D.s working together in the best hospitals and clinics throughout the nation. D.O.s are also found in all branches of military medicine -- in fact, a recent Surgeon General of the U.S. Army was an osteopathic physician. Source: The Student Doctor Network

How many Doctors of Osteopathy are practicing in Alabama?

According to the Medical Licensure Commission's physician license data base for 2006 there are 579 D.O.s licensed to practice medicine in Alabama with 357 actively practicing in 47 Alabama counties. Of these 357 D.O.s who are actively engaged in the practice of medicine, 220 (62 percent) are providing primary care in 45 Alabama counties. Even without there being an osteopathic medical school in Alabama, D.O.s currently contribute greatly to the provision of primary care in many rural or underserved Alabama counties.

How many primary care physicians are needed for Alabama’s rural and underserved

areas?

The lowest estimate is that Alabama currently needs approximately 190 primary care physicians to meet all needs. This is subject to constant adjustment as Alabama’s population and its physician workforce change by age, residence, income, race, ethnicity, etc.

What criteria are used to determine primary care physician shortages?

AMEC is gathering previously unavailable information on current and future local primary care availability and comparing this to the potential needs of the local population (by residence, age, income, race, ethnicity, etc.) to determine current and potential future primary care physician shortage.

What does "underserved" mean?

The term "underserved" as used by AMEC applies to geographical areas, income levels, or other components of Alabama's population that have restricted access to local primary health care or are proportionately under-represented in Alabama's primary care physician workforce or is expected to experience primary care under-service or under-representation in the future.