if it was up to you MD or DO Doctor?

can anyone please help on this? i am looking in to finding a new doctor at the family care center.in tewksbury the doctors name is Keren wilson on the family care center web site it has her as keren wilson D.O not a MD does any know what D.O means as for doctors? thank you i live in Somerville massachusetts. if it was you would you prefer to have a D.O Doctor or a MD Doctor as you family Doctor? thank you for any help on this   i am a 41 year old man

[gymdandee]

D.O. Is a Osteopathy Doctor! Google that. My doctor is a D.O.

[test2009]

My advice would be - do they know their stuff? When it comes to family practice, both a DO and an MD can either suck or be wonderful. The way it works is this - to get an MD or a DO you apply for medical school, the DO school usually being less competitive. After this, everyone competes for the same residency programs, usually the MD applicants having an easier time getting into the more competitive residencies (you won't find many, if any, DOs that are neurosurgeons, etc.). However, at the family practice level, it is not competitive for either a DO or MD to get into a program. Go to whomever feels right for you, and if you get a bad vibe try a different doctor. I would lean towards an MD; HOWEVER, that is just a blanket guess and I am a little biased as an MD student.

[sanchez7315]

Ok, my personal experience has been better with a D.O simply because they have been more willing to look at more holistic health options. I think first and foremost though is that you have some kind of rapport and be consistent. It is more difficult to treat you as a patient if you are not consistent with your health, history and goals. That goes with any doctor MD or DO.

[gymdandee]

Both DO's and MD's are complete physicians. They are both licensed by state and specialty boards to perform surgery and prescribe medication.
Applicants to both DO. and M.D. colleges typically have a four-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on science courses.
Both DO's and MD's complete four years of basic medical education.
After medical school, both DO's and MD's can choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine such as psychiatry, surgery, or obstetrics.  They both complete a residency program, which takes typically two to six years of additional training.
Both DO's and MD's must pass comparable state licensing examinations.
DO's and MD's both practice in fully accredited and licensed hospitals and medical centers.
DO's receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system - your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of its body mass. This training provides osteopathic physicians with a better understanding of the ways that an injury or illness in one part of your body can affect another. It gives DO's a therapeutic and diagnostic advantage over those who do not receive additional specialized training.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is incorporated in the training and practice of osteopathic physicians. OMT allows physicians to use their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to encourage your body's natural tendency toward good health. By combining all other medical procedures with OMT,