In medicine, "DO" stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. A DO is a fully licensed physician who graduates from an osteopathic medical school in the United States and is trained to practice medicine, perform surgery, and prescribe medications just like an MD (Doctor of Medicine)

. Key points about DOs include:

• They use a whole-person, holistic approach to healthcare, considering the mind, body, and spirit as interconnected when diagnosing and treating patients

• DOs receive additional training in the musculoskeletal system and use osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a hands-on technique to diagnose and treat conditions

• Both DOs and MDs complete similar medical education, residency programs, and must pass the same licensing exams to practice medicine in all 50 states

• DOs often emphasize prevention and lifestyle in their care and may focus more on primary care, though they can specialize in any medical field

In summary, a DO is a physician with a distinct osteopathic philosophy but equivalent medical rights and responsibilities as an MD