The Osteopathic Medical Profession

Growth in Osteopathic Physicians

D.O.s are one of the fastest growing segments of health care professionals in the United States. At the current rate of growth, it is estimated that at least 100,000 osteopathic physicians will be in active medical practice by the year 2020. The graph and table below show the exponential growth in the number of living D.O.s since 1935.

D.O.s are one of only two types of fully-licensed physicians within the United States. M.D.s and D.O.s make up the entire U.S. physician population. Therefore, the growth of the osteopathic medical profession can also be illustrated by the increasing percentage of D.O.s within the entire U.S. physician population. The graph below illustrates this growth since 1980.

Growth in Osteopathic Medical Students

In addition to the D.O. population growth, the osteopathic medical student population is increasing. In fact, since 2003 five new osteopathic medical schools and three new branch campuses have opened to fill the need for more physicians, especially in rural and underserved areas. The table below illustrates the growth in osteopathic medical school students each academic year since 2004-05.

The graph below illustrates the growth in osteopathic medical school graduates each calendar year since 1935.

Growth in Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Enrollment

For a more detailed look at the increase in osteopathic medical school students, the table below reports the number of enrolled osteopathic medical school students for each osteopathic medical school or branch campus over the past five years, where applicable.

Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institution & Program Enrollment

The American Osteopathic Association established the Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institution (OPTI) in 1995.

Each OPTI is a community-based training consortium comprised of at least one college of osteopathic medicine and one hospital. Other hospitals and ambulatory care facilities may also partner within an OPTI. Community-based health care facilities such as ambulatory care clinics, rehabilitation centers and surgicenters now have the resources and support necessary to provide physician training with an OPTI's assistance.

The following graph and table illustrate the growth in osteopathic physician enrollment in postdoctoral training programs for each academic year since 2003-04.