MD vs. DO: The Biggest Differences (And Which is Better)
What is a DO vs. MD? Learn the truth about how allopathic and osteopathic medical programs can impact your residency, career, and salary
Learn the differences between DO vs. MD
What You'll Learn
Core Philosophies & Training
The foundational distinctions between allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) approaches, including additional hands-on osteopathic manipulative treatment training.
Admissions Statistics & Expectations
How target GPA and MCAT expectations compare between pathways, and why DO programs shouldn't be treated as automatic backup choices.
Application Portals & Process
Key operational differences between applying through AMCAS versus AACOMAS, including managing distinct timelines, essay requirements, and fees.
Licensing Board Examinations
How board examination requirements differ between pathways, covering the USMLE and COMLEX-USA sequences for medical licensure.
Residency Matching & Outcomes
How recent residency system mergers impact post-graduate matching opportunities across primary care and highly competitive subspecialties.
Earning Potential & Career Options
Why long-term compensation and practice rights depend far more on chosen specialty, practice setting, and location than degree initials.
Evaluating Personal Fit
How to assess your personal metrics, learning style, and career goals to strategically decide whether to apply to MD, DO, or both pathways.
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Introduction to MD vs. DO
Both MDs and DOs are fully licensed physicians who can diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, perform surgery, and practice in any medical specialty. The biggest differences involve how you’d train, how you’d apply and become licensed, and how your degree may affect certain residency and career opportunities.
Neither degree is universally “better.” However, the distinction can matter when you’re deciding where to apply, evaluating your competitiveness, or thinking ahead to a highly selective specialty.
But knowing both degrees produce qualified physicians probably doesn’t answer every question on your mind. You may still be wondering:
Is a DO school easier to get into than an MD school?
Would a DO degree limit your residency options?
Do MDs and DOs earn the same salary?
Should you apply to MD programs, DO programs, or both?
Below, we’ll take a closer look at how MD and DO programs differ in admissions, training, residency outcomes, salary and career flexibility, and help you decide which schools belong on your list. But first, here’s a quick look at the most important similarities and differences.
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MD vs. DO similarities and differences
An MD, or Doctor of Medicine, attends an allopathic medical school. A DO, or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, attends an osteopathic medical school and receives additional training in osteopathic principles and manipulative medicine.
Osteopathic education traditionally places additional emphasis on prevention, the relationship between the body’s systems, and the ways a patient’s lifestyle and environment can influence their health. That said, many MD physicians also practice whole-person, preventive care. The clearest differences between the pathways have more to do with their application processes, curricula, licensing exams, and common career patterns.
Looking at MD and DO training side by side, you’ll notice that the two paths have much more in common than their different initials might suggest. Both prepare you to become a fully licensed physician, but there are meaningful differences in how you apply, what you study, which licensing exams you take, and the opportunities you may encounter later.
| Factor | MD | DO |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | Doctor of Medicine | Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine |
| Type of physician | Fully licensed | Fully licensed |
| Medical approach | Allopathic medical education | Osteopathic medical education |
| Premed preparation | Bachelor’s degree, prerequisite coursework, the MCAT , and relevant extracurricular experiences during undergrad and post-bacc years | Bachelor’s degree, prerequisite coursework, the MCAT , and relevant extracurricular experiences during undergrad and post-bacc years |
| Application | AMCAS | AACOMAS |
| Medical school length | Four years at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) | Four years at a medical school accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) |
| Additional training | No required training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) | Includes additional training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), including the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) |
| Licensing exams | USMLE | COMLEX ; some students also take USMLE |
| Residency eligibility | Eligible for all accredited residency programs | Eligible for all accredited residency programs |
| Specialty options | Can practice in any specialty | Can practice in any specialty, although some competitive specialties may be more difficult to enter |
| State licensure | Eligible for licensure in all 50 states | Eligible for licensure in all 50 states |
| Career patterns | Represented across all specialties and more commonly associated with academic medicine and certain highly competitive specialties | Represented across all specialties but enter primary care and practice in rural or underserved areas at higher rates |
| Applicant patterns | Entering classes tend to include a larger share of students following a traditional premed-to-med-school path | Many programs are particularly receptive to older applicants , career changers, and other nontraditional students |
| Number of U.S. programs | 158 | 48 |
| Salary | Depends primarily on specialty, location, and practice setting | Depends primarily on specialty, location, and practice setting |
This table makes MD and DO training look more different than the eventual jobs often are. Both degrees can lead to the same medical specialties and scope of practice. The distinctions are most likely to affect you during the application process, med school, licensing exams, and residency selection, depending on your goals.
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How do MD and DO admissions differ?
MD and DO programs are looking for many of the same things: evidence you can handle the academic workload, meaningful clinical and service experiences, maturity, and a clear reason for choosing medicine. The paths start to diverge in the details, including typical GPA and MCAT ranges, the application service you’ll use, and how clearly you may need to show that your interest in osteopathic medicine goes beyond simply improving your odds of admission.
MD vs. DO admissions statistics
For the 2025–2026 academic year, students entering U.S. MD programs had an average MCAT score of 512.1 and an average GPA of 3.81. Students entering U.S. DO programs in 2025 had an average MCAT score of 502.95 and an average GPA of 3.62.
These averages suggest you’d need stronger academic metrics to be competitive for an MD program. However, that doesn’t make DO schools a sure thing or automatic safeties if you have lower stats.
Your chances of admission will also depend on factors like:
Your clinical, service, and extracurricular experiences
Your state residency
Your letters of recommendation and essays
Your fit with each school’s mission
How convincingly you explain your interest in medicine
No matter the path you choose, you’ll need a strong holistic application to be competitive.
AMCAS vs. AACOMAS
If you’re applying to U.S. MD programs, you’ll use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). If you’re applying to U.S. DO programs, you’ll use the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).
Both applications ask for many of the same core materials including:
Your academic transcript
MCAT scores
School-specific secondary essays
Since they’re separate application services, you’ll need to complete both applications, pay separate fees, and monitor two sets of school-specific requirements and deadlines if you decide to apply to both pathways.
AMCAS vs. AACOMAS at a glance
| Feature | AMCAS | AACOMAS |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | U.S. MD programs | U.S. DO programs |
| Opening and submission timing | Opens May 5, 2026; you can submit beginning May 28, 2026 | Opens and accepts submissions May 4, 2026 |
| 2026–2027 application fees | $180 for the first school and $48 for each additional school | $198 for the first school and $60 for each additional school |
| Personal statement | Maximum of 5,300 characters | Maximum of 5,300 characters |
| Experiences section | Up to 15 entries, with up to three designated as most meaningful | No limit; organized into categories such as healthcare, research, teaching, employment, and community service |
| Letters of recommendation | Up to 10 letter entries | Up to 10 evaluations |
| Primary application deadlines | Set by individual medical schools | Set by individual osteopathic medical schools |
| Additional requirements | Schools may send secondary applications and request additional materials | Programs may include school-specific questions and requirements within the AACOMAS application or through a supplemental application |
Although the applications overlap considerably, you shouldn’t assume that you can copy every AMCAS entry directly into AACOMAS and call it a day. Before submitting either application, review the formatting, character limits, and individual requirements for every school on your list. And because both MD and DO programs commonly use rolling admissions, aim to submit early rather than treating the published deadline as your target date.
AMCAS vs. AACOMAS personal statements
Let’s cover the similarities before we get into the differences. Both MD and DO personal statements should provide information about:
Why you want to pursue medicine
Your journey to medicine
Why you’ll be an effective and dedicated medical student and physician
Since both the AACOMAS and AMCAS personal statements are limited to 5,300 characters (including spaces), you’ll have the same amount of space to cover these questions in each application. Check out our in-depth guide to writing personal statements here.
DO adcoms know some applicants add osteopathic schools to their lists primarily because DO matriculants have lower average GPAs and MCAT scores. As a result, they may look more closely at whether your interest in osteopathic medicine is sincere.
You don’t need to claim that becoming a DO is the only acceptable path for you, but you should be prepared to explain:
What you understand about osteopathic medical education
Why the DO approach appeals to you
How your experiences have shaped your interest in DO programs
Why you would be happy to attend an osteopathic medical school
Generic references to "holistic care” or “treating the whole person” won’t be especially convincing on their own. To have a stronger application, you’ll need to connect those ideas to specific service, research, or personal experiences, but the goal isn’t to make every paragraph about osteopathic medicine. It’s to ensure that your AACOMAS application doesn’t make the DO path seem like an afterthought.
MD vs. DO physician shadowing
Shadowing is important whether you’re applying to MD programs, DO programs, or both. Spending time with physicians gives you a realistic sense of what their work involves, helps you explore different career paths, and gives you specific experiences to draw from for your essays and interviews.
To build a competitive application, we recommend completing 100+ shadowing hours across at least two specialties. Ideally, you’ll also gain exposure to more than one clinical setting, such as a hospital, private practice, or community clinic. The goal is to develop a well-rounded understanding of what physicians do and confirm that this is the career you genuinely want.
Finding those opportunities can feel awkward, especially if you don’t already know any physicians. Our guide on how to ask to shadow a doctor walks you through identifying potential doctors, reaching out professionally, and following up if you don’t hear back.
For MD applicants, your shadowing experiences should show that you understand the realities of practicing medicine. Following physicians in different specialties can help you see how their responsibilities, patient relationships, and work environments vary.
If you’re applying to DO programs, you should build that same broad shadowing foundation while also trying to shadow at least one osteopathic physician. Not every DO school formally requires this experience, but it can help you understand the path, determine whether it genuinely appeals to you, and discuss your interest more convincingly in your essays and interviews.And if you’re having a tough time finding a DO physician to shadow, the American Osteopathic Association maintains a directory of all practicing DO physicians.
MD vs. DO letters of recommendation
Recommendation-letter expectations also vary by school. MD programs typically focus on whether your recommendation letters provide strong evidence of your academic readiness, character, and potential as a physician. Some DO programs, on the other hand, specifically require or recommend a letter from a physician, and in some cases even from a DO.
Still, the quality of the relationship matters more than the degree after the writer’s name. A detailed recommendation from a physician who knows you well will be more helpful than a generic letter from a DO you briefly shadowed simply to check a box.
Review the requirements for every program on your list well before applying so you have time to develop the right experiences and relationships. Even when a DO letter isn’t formally required, we strongly recommend seeking one from an osteopathic physician who has gotten to know you.
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How MD and DO degrees affect residency and career options
Both MD and DO graduates can enter accredited residency programs, pursue any medical specialty, and build successful careers as physicians. But that probably doesn’t calm the part of your mind wondering whether choosing a DO path could limit your residency options or make an already stressful Match process even harder. The honest answer is that your degree won’t determine your entire career, but it can influence which licensing exams you take, how certain programs evaluate your application, and how many hurdles you may face in some highly competitive specialties. Let’s take a closer look.
Residency training and licensing exams
The good news is that MD and DO graduates no longer enter separate residency systems. Since the transition to a single accreditation system was completed in 2020, both can apply to residency and fellowship programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Where the paths still differ is licensing exams:
MD students take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
DO students take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA), which includes additional osteopathic content.
COMLEX is the only examination series DO students need for osteopathic medical licensure, and they can submit their results through ERAS when applying to residency. As a DO, you wouldn’t be automatically required to take the USMLE as well.
But here’s where things become a little less tidy: residency programs don’t evaluate the two exams in exactly the same way. Many specialties and programs accept COMLEX scores from DO applicants, and numerous specialty organizations have formally encouraged programs not to require an additional USMLE exam. Nevertheless, some programs still require or prefer USMLE scores, so taking theUSMLE may broaden your options as a DO student, particularly when applying to highly competitive specialties or programs.
That doesn’t mean every DO student should automatically sign up for both exam series. Preparing for an additional set of exams requires more time, money, and energy, and the potential benefit will depend on your goals and target residency programs. Once you’re in medical school, work with your advisors and research individual program policies before deciding whether taking the USMLE would meaningfully strengthen your residency strategy.
Notably, both USMLE Step 1and COMLEX-USA Level 1 are now reported as pass/fail, but their second-level exams (USMLE Step 2 CK and COMLEX Level 2-CE) continue to provide numerical scores, making them potentially more useful to residency programs comparing applicants alongside clinical evaluations, recommendation letters, research, and the Medical Student Performance Evaluation(MSPE).
Residency match rates and specialty competitiveness
At first glance, the overall Match results should offer some reassurance. According to the 2026 NRMP Main Residency Match Results and Data, 93.5 percent of U.S. MD seniors and 93.2 percent of U.S. DO seniors matched into a first-year residency position. After the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), their placement rates rose to 97.8 percent and 98.5 percent, respectively. In other words, the vast majority of students graduating from both pathways secure residency training.
However, those nearly identical overall rates don’t mean MD and DO applicants have the same experience in every specialty. The 2026 NRMP report also provides a closer look at U.S. seniors who ranked one specialty (and no backup specialty) on their rank lists. See below:
| Only specialty ranked | MD seniors who matched | DO seniors who matched |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | 91.8% (811 of 883) | 88.3% (143 of 162) |
| Dermatology | 73.7% (84 of 114) | 64.3% (9 of 14) |
| Neurological surgery | 74.5% (231 of 310) | 62.5% (5 of 8) |
| Orthopaedic surgery | 71.9% (697 of 969) | 52.7% (96 of 182) |
| Otolaryngology | 82.8% (323 of 390) | 52.2% (12 of 23) |
| General surgery | 89.7% (807 of 900) | 81.6% (191 of 234) |
These figures show that DO students absolutely can enter highly selective specialties, but you may face steeper odds in certain fields. That’s especially worth considering if you already have your sights set on dermatology, orthopaedic surgery, neurological surgery, interventional radiology, or another research-intensive specialty.
Before you start treating each percentage as a prediction of your future, though, remember that Match data come with plenty of fine print. MD and DO applicant pools differ in size, and their outcomes may also reflect differences in research access, mentorship, exam strategy, home residency programs, and where students choose to apply and rank. Some DO samples are especially small. For example, only eight DO seniors in the 2026 data ranked neurological surgery as their sole specialty choice. Five matched and three did not. When the group is that small, the results of just one or two applicants can swing the percentage dramatically.
You’ll also notice that DO graduates enter primary care fields at higher rates. Among matched seniors who ranked only one specialty in the 2026 Match, 56.6 percent of DO seniors matched into primary care, compared with 44.6 percent of MD seniors.
It’d be too simplistic to assume that this difference exists only because DO students have trouble matching elsewhere. Many osteopathic schools emphasize primary care and community medicine, and some students choose the DO path because those priorities already fit the kind of physician they hope to become. At the same time, the additional hurdles DO applicants face in certain competitive specialties may also influence some students’ residency choices.
Also, matching into a “primary care” residency doesn’t necessarily tell you what a physician will do for the rest of their career. If you match into internal medicine or pediatrics, for example, you can later pursue subspecialty fellowship training.
So, what should you take away from all of this? If you’re already committed to an exceptionally competitive specialty, attending an MD program may give you a more straightforward path. But don’t compare degrees in a vacuum. A DO school with strong research opportunities, specialty mentorship, and a proven Match record in your preferred field may serve you better than an MD program that offers less support for your specific goals.
Our guide to the most competitive medical residencies takes a closer look at which specialties are hardest to enter and what tends to distinguish successful applicants.
Career paths and practice settings
Once you complete residency, an MD or DO degree can lead you to the same broad range of careers. Physicians from both pathways work in hospitals, private practices, academic medical centers, community clinics, public health organizations, research institutions, and just about every medical specialty you can name.
Still, MDs and DOs aren’t distributed evenly across every corner of medicine. As previously mentioned, DO physicians are more likely to enter primary care and practice in rural or medically underserved communities, while MD physicians make up a larger share of doctors in academic medicine, research-intensive environments, and certain highly specialized fields.
That doesn’t mean earning a DO will confine you to family medicine or that earning an MD automatically sets you up for a research career. These patterns reflect a mix of factors, including:
The missions and locations of individual medical schools
The clinical settings where students complete their training
Access to research, specialty mentors, and home residency programs
Students’ interests before entering medical school
Differences in residency competitiveness
As mentioned in the previous section, many osteopathic schools explicitly emphasize primary care, community health, and serving rural or underserved populations. If those priorities already align with the physician you want to be, a DO program’s clinical partnerships and mission may be a genuine advantage rather than a limitation.
On the other hand, if you’re hoping to build a heavily research-focused career or pursue academic medicine at a major university hospital, you may find that more MD programs have large research infrastructures, affiliated teaching hospitals, and established residency programs in some highly specialized fields. But the degree label alone won’t tell you whether a school offers those opportunities.
This is why comparing individual programs matters more than relying only on broad MD-versus-DO trends. As you research schools, look at questions such as:
Does the school have strong clinical rotations in the settings that interest you?
Are there faculty conducting research in your potential specialty?
Does the school have an affiliated teaching hospital or home residency program?
Where do recent graduates complete residency?
Does the school offer mentorship and advising for your career goals?
Will you need to relocate frequently for clinical rotations?
Ultimately, your degree can shape some of the opportunities you encounter, but your medical school’s resources, your own performance, and the experiences you pursue will play a much larger role in determining where your career takes you.
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MD vs. DO salaries
Another reassurance: choosing the DO path doesn’t place you on a separate, lower physician pay scale. If you and an MD colleague work in the same specialty, with similar responsibilities and levels of experience, your compensation should be comparable.
During residency, salaries are typically determined by your institution and year of training rather than whether you hold an MD or DO degree. Once you become an attending physician, your earnings will depend much more on factors like:
Your specialty
Your experience and responsibilities
Where you practice
Your employer and practice setting
Your schedule and call requirements
Whether your compensation is tied to productivity
The AMA similarly advises physicians to compare compensation within their specific specialty and geographic market rather than relying on one broad salary figure.
So why might you encounter claims that MDs earn more than DOs? The most likely explanation is that the two groups aren’t distributed evenly across medical specialties. DO physicians enter primary care at higher rates, while MD physicians make up a larger share of doctors in certain highly paid surgical and procedural fields. Because compensation varies substantially by specialty, those different career patterns can affect broad averages without creating a separate rate of pay for MDs and DOs performing equivalent work. 2025 physician-recruitment data, for example, reported average starting salaries of $275,000 in family medicine, compared with $551,000 in radiology and $576,000 in orthopaedic surgery.
Geography adds another wrinkle, but not necessarily in the way you might expect. Jobs in expensive metropolitan areas don’t automatically offer the highest compensation. Employers in rural or medically underserved communities may use higher salaries, signing bonuses, relocation assistance, or student-loan repayment to attract physicians where demand is especially high. Federal programs also offer loan-repayment benefits to eligible MD and DO physicians who practice in designated shortage areas.
The practical takeaway is that you shouldn’t choose between MD and DO programs based on the assumption that one degree guarantees a larger paycheck. Instead, think about the specialties and practice settings each school will help you pursue. Our guide to how much doctors maketakes a closer look at how compensation varies by specialty, location, and other career choices.
International practice rights
An MD degree offers broader and more straightforward international recognition, while practice rights for DOs vary more by location. That doesn’t mean you can’t work abroad as a DO, but you may encounter additional credentialing requirements or uncertainty depending on the country you choose.
One reason the process can get confusing is that the term “osteopath” refers to a nonphysician practitioner in some countries, like the UK and Australia, whereas a U.S. trained DO is a fully licensed physician who can prescribe medication, perform surgery, and practice any medical specialty. International regulators don’t always treat those credentials identically.
However, recognition of the DO degree continues to expand. In 2023, the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities adopted a resolution supporting the recognition of U.S. trained DOs as physicians equivalent to MDs across its 47 member countries. Keep in mind, though, this resolution doesn’t automatically grant you a medical license in every participating country. You’ll still need to meet the requirements of the relevant national or regional licensing authority.
If working internationally is central to your career plans, the MD path may remove some uncertainty. But if you already have a particular country in mind, research its current requirements rather than assuming a DO degree will or won’t be accepted.
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DO vs. MD: How to choose
So, after comparing admissions, training, residency outcomes, and career opportunities, which programs should actually make it onto your school list?
There isn’t a universally “better” choice in the MD vs. DO debate. Your best strategy depends on your academic profile, career goals, interest in osteopathic medicine, and how willing you are to take on the extra cost and work of completing two application services.
The simplest starting point is to apply only to schools you would be genuinely willing to attend. Adding DO programs can improve the breadth and balance of your list, but it won’t help much if you’d turn down every DO acceptance and reapply anyway.
MD vs. DO pros and cons
| Path | Advantages | Tradeoffs |
|---|---|---|
| MD |
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| DO |
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| Both |
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Your preferred training modality
Both MD and DO physicians are highly skilled practitioners who undergo years of intense medical training. However, the allopathic and osteopathic approaches to care appeal differently to different people. If you prefer to train via a more holistic medical approach and/or want to study osteopathic manipulative treatment, DO programs could be a great fit for you.
Your stats
Some students simply don’t have a high enough GPA and/or MCAT score to get into an MD program, but have the numbers to be competitive for DO programs. If your heart is set on pursuing a medical career but your numbers fall short of MD program expectations, DO schools may be your only option.
It’s important to note, however, that applying to MD vs. DO programs isn’t a black-and-white proposition. Many students apply to MD and DO programs because of their interest in both training modalities. Moreover, students whose GPA and MCAT scores aren’t competitive for many MD programs should apply to varying numbers of MD vs. DO programs to increase their chances of acceptance.
We recommend certain percentage breakdowns of MD vs. DO program applications based on your stats in our guide on what MCAT score you need to get into med school.
Your timeline
If you applied to a variety of DO and MD programs and received acceptances from only one type of program, you may be debating whether to take one of your limited options or hold out for the next application cycle and reapply. In this case, the best course of action could depend on your own individual timeline. It’s understandable that many applicants are eager to start their long journey to becoming a physician as early as possible. But if you’re unsatisfied with the outcome of your first application cycle, and your career goals align more closely with a program that you weren’t accepted into, you may want to consider reapplying the following year.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to suggest that medical school reapplicants are at a disadvantage. And especially if you’re a current college senior or recent graduate, it’s important to note that nearly half of new medical school matriculants take at least a year off between undergrad and medical school. Gap years are becoming increasingly common among successful medical school applicants, so taking additional time to raise your stats and add new clinical or research experience to your resume might provide the missing ingredients you need to boost your application and get into your top-choice program the next time around.
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Frequently asked questions about MD and DO degrees
What does DO stand for?
DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. A DO is a fully licensed physician who can diagnose illnesses, prescribe medication, perform surgery, and practice in any medical specialty just like an MD.
The main educational difference is that DO students receive additional training in osteopathic principles and osteopathic manipulative medicine. In other words, DO does not mean “less qualified doctor.” It describes a different medical training pathway.
Is an MD higher than a DO?
No. An MD is not a higher medical credential than a DO. Both degrees can lead to full medical licensure and the same legal scope of practice in the U.S.
That doesn’t mean the paths are identical, though. MD programs are generally more academically selective, the two groups take different licensing exams, and MD graduates may encounter fewer barriers in certain highly competitive specialties or when seeking licensure abroad. Think of MD and DO as two routes to becoming a physician, not as two ranks of physician.
Is DO school easier to get into than MD school?
DO schools are generally less academically selective than MD schools, but that doesn’t make them easy to get into.
Students entering U.S. MD programs in 2025 had a mean MCAT score of 512.1 and a mean GPA of 3.81, compared with a mean MCAT score of 502.95 and a mean GPA of 3.62 among students entering DO programs.
Those numbers may make DO schools more realistic additions to your list if your stats fall below typical MD matriculant averages. Still, you’ll need strong clinical and service experiences, thoughtful essays, supportive recommendations, and a convincing reason for pursuing medicine. DO schools should never be treated as automatic safeties.
Why would you choose a DO instead of an MD?
You might choose a DO program because osteopathic medical education genuinely fits how you hope to practice medicine. Perhaps you’re drawn to its additional training in osteopathic manipulative medicine, its emphasis on prevention and whole-person care, or the strong focus many DO schools place on primary care and underserved communities.
A DO program may also fit your academic profile better than many MD programs. That’s a perfectly reasonable consideration, but it shouldn’t be your only one. You should be able to picture yourself feeling proud and excited to become a DO, rather than viewing the degree as a backup you’ll reluctantly accept.
Can a DO become a surgeon?
Yes. DOs can become surgeons, as well as dermatologists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, and every other type of physician.
Both MD and DO graduates apply through the same residency Match system, and their overall Match rates are very similar. However, DO students can face steeper odds in some particularly competitive specialties, including certain surgical fields. If you already have your heart set on one of those paths, look carefully at each medical school’s research opportunities, specialty mentorship, home residency programs, and recent Match outcomes.
Do MDs and DOs make the same salary?
An MD and a DO doing comparable work in the same specialty and location can earn comparable salaries. There isn’t a separate, lower pay scale reserved for osteopathic physicians.
When salary differences appear in broad averages, they usually reflect career choices rather than the degree itself. DOs enter primary care at higher rates, while MDs make up a larger share of physicians in several highly paid surgical and procedural specialties. Your specialty, experience, responsibilities, location, employer, and practice setting will matter much more to your paycheck than the initials on your white coat.
Should you apply to both MD and DO programs?
Applying to both can be a smart move if you would genuinely be happy attending either type of medical school. It may be especially helpful if your academic profile falls within the overlap between MD and DO applicant pools or an MD-only school list would leave you with more risk than you’re comfortable taking.
Just remember that applying to both means completing two separate primary applications (AMCAS and AACOMAS) along with additional fees, deadlines, essays, and school-specific requirements. In other words, it can broaden your options, but it isn’t quite as simple as clicking an “add DO schools” button at the end of AMCAS.
Can a DO practice medicine outside the United States?
U.S. trained DOs can practice in many countries, but the licensing process varies more by location than it typically does for MDs. Some countries fully recognize the U.S. DO degree, while others may impose additional requirements or have less familiar credentialing systems.
If an international career is a major priority for you, an MD may offer more straightforward portability. But don’t make the decision based on a vague plan to “maybe work abroad someday.” Research the current requirements in the countries you’re seriously considering, since international licensing rules can change.
Final thoughts
Neither an MD nor DO degree is universally better. Both can lead to medical licensure, residency training, and a fulfilling career in any specialty. However, the paths aren’t identical, and the differences may matter when you consider your academic profile, interest in osteopathic training, specialty goals, research opportunities, licensing exams, and plans to practice internationally. Rather than choosing based on prestige (or assuming every MD or DO program offers the same opportunities), compare individual schools closely. The best option is the program that fits your candidacy, supports your long-term goals, and offers a path you would feel genuinely excited to pursue.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For over 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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