CMSS Statement in Support of Osteopathic Physicians
The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) is deeply troubled by the recent negative portrayal of osteopathic physicians. As leading medical organizations that represent more than 800,000 physician members across 45 specialty societies, we stand together to combat these ill-informed mischaracterizations.
We, the undersigned medical specialty societies fully recognize the qualifications and contributions of physicians trained in osteopathic medicine. Doctors of medicine (MDs) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) graduate from nationally accredited medical schools. Today, more than 25% of all US medical students attend osteopathic medical schools.
Just like MDs, DOs complete post-graduate training, including residency and fellowships, in their selected specialty field. Both groups have unified training requirements through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and meet the same licensure requirements. DOs and MDs practice side-by-side during and after this training in every specialty. Osteopathic physicians are fully licensed to practice medicine in all 50 states. According to 2019 figures from the American Osteopathic Association, nearly 57% of DOs practice in primary care specialties: 31.4% are family physicians, 18.1% are internists, and 6.89% are pediatricians.
Our organizations represent hundreds of thousands of physicians across the country, DOs and MDs alike. DOs and MDs take an oath to place the care and wellbeing of others before themselves, and their degrees do not alter that pledge or their qualifications to uphold it. As healers servicing the health needs of our country, all of us, with equal goals and a shared voice, must call out those who disparage our colleagues through racism, sexism, or misinformation. To do any less would blemish not one professional group, but all. We stand with our osteopathic physician colleagues and members, and together, rise to meet our collective call to ensure the health of all Americans.
Council of Medical Specialty Societies
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- American Association of Clinical Endocrinology
- American College of Emergency Physicians
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Physicians
- American College of Preventive Medicine
- American College of Radiology
- American College of Surgeons
- American Epilepsy Society
- American Geriatrics Society
- American Psychiatric Association
- American Society for Clinical Pathology
- American Society for Radiation Oncology
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine
- American Society of Anesthesiologists
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- American Society of Hematology
- American Society of Nephrology
- American Thoracic Society
- American Urological Association
- Infectious Diseases Society of America
- Society for Vascular Surgery
- Society of Gynecologic Oncology
- Society of Hospital Medicine
- Society of Interventional Radiology
- Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons