MD vs DO: what is the difference?
The United States has two degrees that lead to full physician licensure: the MD (Doctor of Medicine) and the DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Both are complete medical degrees. This guide compares them on the facts that are publicly documented.
Information, not advice. This explains how the two degrees are structured. It is not medical or admissions advice, and it does not rank schools.
The short answer
MD and DO physicians are both fully licensed doctors with the same legal scope of practice. They train in the same residencies, prescribe the same medications, and practice in the same specialties. The main documented differences are in accreditation and in one additional component of osteopathic training.
Accreditation
MD programs are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). DO programs are accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). This directory records each school's current accreditor and status, dated and linked to the official source. There are 164 LCME-accredited MD programs and52 COCA-accredited DO programs in the current snapshot.
Training and licensing
DO curricula include osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), a hands-on approach to the musculoskeletal system, on top of the standard medical curriculum. MD students sit the USMLE licensing sequence; DO students sit the COMLEX-USA and may also take the USMLE. Since the transition to a single accreditation system for residencies, graduates of both degrees apply to the same graduate medical education programs.
How to choose between programs
Because both degrees lead to licensure, the practical comparison is usually about individual programs — location, cost, mission, and fit — rather than the letters. You cancompare schools side by side, browseMD schools and DO schools, or read abouthow to read the cost figures.
Frequently asked questions
Can DOs practice in the same specialties as MDs?
Yes. Since the single accreditation system for graduate medical education, MD and DO graduates train in the same residency programs and can enter the same specialties. Licensure is equivalent.
Do MD and DO students take different licensing exams?
MD students take the USMLE. DO students take the COMLEX-USA and may also take the USMLE. Both lead to full licensure.
Is one degree more competitive than the other?
Admissions metrics differ on average, but this varies widely by program. Detailed admissions statistics are published in the AAMC MSAR (a paid product) rather than reproduced here.