DO Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield DO facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Since doctors of osteopathy may manipulate the spine physically to aid in the body's healing, they are frequently mistaken for chiropractors. → True
2. A DO notes tissue texture changes at T6–T8 in a patient with epigastric pain. This represents which reflex? → Viscerosomatic reflex
3. A patient on carbamazepine for epilepsy presents with hyponatremia. What is the most likely mechanism? → Stimulation of ADH secretion and enhanced ADH activity causing SIADH
4. A child with phenylketonuria (PKU) who is maintained on a phenylalanine-restricted diet from birth is MOST likely to have: → Near-normal IQ
5. Counterstrain technique involves positioning the patient at the point of what? → Minimum pain (greatest comfort)
6. Approximately how many DOs are currently practicing in the United States? → 180,000
7. A woman on oral contraceptives is prescribed an antibiotic for a UTI. Which antibiotic poses the greatest risk of reducing OCP efficacy? → Rifampin
8. How long is the osteopathic medical school curriculum before residency? → 4 years
9. Which statement about COMLEX and USMLE scores is most accurate? → They measure overlapping but distinct competencies and cannot be directly compared
10. Probenecid is sometimes co-administered with penicillin to enhance its therapeutic effect. What is the pharmacokinetic mechanism? → Probenecid inhibits renal tubular secretion of penicillin
11. A DO student applying to a highly competitive ACGME residency should consider which additional examination? → USMLE
12. During the respiratory cycle, the sacrum moves in what direction during inhalation according to osteopathic craniosacral theory? → The sacral base moves anteriorly (counternutation)
13. Somatic dysfunction can only exist in an acute form and cannot become chronic. → False — somatic dysfunction can be acute or chronic
14. Which clinical presentation most warrants assessment of Chapman's reflex points for the kidney? → Flank pain with posterior T10–T11 tissue texture changes
15. Osteoporosis is an absolute contraindication to High-Velocity Low-Amplitude (HVLA) technique in all cases. → False — osteoporosis is a relative contraindication that requires clinical judgment
16. In Fryette's mechanics, Type II (non-neutral) dysfunction is characterized by which coupling pattern? → Sidebending and rotation to the same side
17. Which of the following best describes osteopathic medicine's guiding principles? → All of the above
18. What is the mechanism by which unfractionated heparin exerts its anticoagulant effect? → Potentiates antithrombin III, accelerating inactivation of thrombin and factor Xa
19. Which nerve passes inferior to (or through) the piriformis and is compressed in piriformis syndrome? → Sciatic nerve
20. A patient presents with a tender point in the anterior thigh. Using counterstrain, the physician should position the patient to achieve maximum: → Flexion of the hip with slight abduction
21. In Counterstrain technique, the position of comfort must be maintained for exactly 90 seconds before slow return to neutral. → True
22. The osteopathic principle that 'structure governs function' means which of the following? → Abnormal structural relationships impair normal physiological function
23. Which drug class is the first-line treatment for hypertension in a patient with type 2 diabetes and proteinuria? → ACE inhibitors
24. Osteopathic medicine has been practiced for more than a century! → True
25. A 35-year-old with Down syndrome presents with rapidly declining IQ scores and memory loss. Which diagnosis should be prioritized in the differential? → Alzheimer's disease
26. Manipulation by osteopaths Doctors of osteopathic medicine employ treatment, a hands-on method, to promote wellness and recovery. → True
27. During a developmental assessment, a 6-year-old achieves a mental age of 9 years. Using the ratio IQ formula, what is this child's IQ? → 150
28. Facilitated spinal segments are characterized by which physiological state? → Increased neural excitability from sustained afferent input
29. Thoracic lymphatic pump technique enhances lymphatic flow by applying rhythmic compression forces to the thoracic cage. → True
30. A rib that cannot expand fully during inspiration is classified as which type of rib dysfunction? → Inhalation restriction