Dr. Peter Kramer is an Osteopathic Physician.
There a 2 kinds of complete physicians in the United States. M.D.'s and D.O.s. Both are fully qualified to perform surgery and prescribe medication. Both M.D.s and DOs complete 4 years of basic medical education, 2 - 6 years of residency which includes additional training in fields such as surgery, psychiatry, or obstetrics, among others.
Both M.D.s and DOs are licensed and must pass comparable state licensing examinations.
Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of american medical care that was developed in 1874 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still. Dr. Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness of 19th century medicine. He believed that many of the medications of his day were useless or even harmful. Dr. Still was one of the first in his time to study the attributes of good health so that he could better understand the process of disease. Osteopathic medicine is founded Dr. Still's philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, the father of medicine. The philosophy focuses on the unity of all body parts, identifying the musculoskeletal system as a key element of health. He recognized that the body's ability to heal itself and stress preventative medicine, eating properly and keeping fit. In coordination with appropriate medical care, the concept of "wellness" relies on the DOs active guidance in helping patients take responsibility for their own well being and help in changing unhealthy patterns.
Today osteopathic physicians continue to be on the cutting edge of modern medicine. D.O.s are able to combine today's medical technology with their ears to listen with care to their patients, their eyes to see the patients as whole persons and their hands to diagnose and treat injury as well as illness.
Osteopathic Doctors bring something extra to medicine:
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Osteopathic medical schools emphasize training students to be primary care physicians |
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They practice a Whole Person approach to medicine. Instead of just reacting specific symptoms for illnesses, they regard your body as an integrated whole. |
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D.O.s focus on preventative care |
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They have extra training in the musculoskeletal system. This training provides osteopathic doctors with a better understanding of the ways that an injury or illness in one part of your body can affect another. This gives D.O.s a therapeutic and diagnostic advantage over those who do not receive additional specialized training. |
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Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMY) is incorporate in the training and practice of osteopathic physicians. With OMT they 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, D.O.s offer their patients the most comprehensive care available in medicine today. |
Additional information can be found at the American Osteopathic Association web site
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