DO (True or False) 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) in the United States have full prescribing authority and scope of practice equivalent to MDs.
- True (Correct answer)
- False — DOs have more limited prescribing rights than MDs
- True, but only in states that have passed DO equivalency laws
- DOs can prescribe but are not licensed to perform surgery
Correct answer: True
In all 50 U.S. states, DOs hold full and unrestricted medical licenses with the same prescribing rights, surgical privileges, and scope of practice as MDs.
Question 2: The COMLEX-USA examination series was designed specifically for osteopathic medical students and graduates.
- True (Correct answer)
- False — COMLEX is taken by all medical students in the US
- True, but DOs must also pass the USMLE to obtain licensure
- COMLEX is only required for DOs entering primary care specialties
Correct answer: True
COMLEX-USA is the osteopathic-specific licensing exam series; DOs may also choose to take the USMLE but are not required to do so for licensure.
Question 3: Osteopathic medical schools in the United States are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
- True
- False — DO schools are accredited by COCA (Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation) (Correct answer)
- True, the LCME accredits both MD and DO programs
- DO schools are self-accrediting with no external oversight body
Correct answer: False — DO schools are accredited by COCA (Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation)
DO medical schools are accredited by the COCA under the AOA, while allopathic (MD) schools are accredited by the LCME.
Question 4: Following the 2020 single accreditation system merger, DO graduates can apply to ACGME-accredited residency programs on equal footing with MD graduates.
- True (Correct answer)
- False — DOs must first complete an AOA-accredited residency before applying to ACGME programs
- True, but only for primary care residencies
- The merger only affects students who graduated after 2025
Correct answer: True
The 2020 unification of the AOA and ACGME accreditation systems eliminated the parallel residency track, allowing DO graduates to compete equally for ACGME-accredited positions.
Question 5: Andrew Taylor Still founded osteopathic medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1874.
- True (Correct answer)
- False — Still founded osteopathy in Kansas City, Kansas
- True, but he founded it in 1890
- Still was a British physician who introduced osteopathy to America
Correct answer: True
Andrew Taylor Still developed osteopathic medicine in 1874 in Missouri and later established the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville in 1892.
Question 6: Osteopathic medical school curriculum differs from allopathic curriculum only in the addition of OMM coursework.
- True
- False — osteopathic education integrates whole-person care and prevention philosophy throughout all four years (Correct answer)
- True, and OMM is only taught during the first two years
- DO schools have reduced basic science content to accommodate OMM training
Correct answer: False — osteopathic education integrates whole-person care and prevention philosophy throughout all four years
Osteopathic education weaves holistic philosophy, preventive medicine, and patient-centered care throughout the entire curriculum, not merely appending OMM to standard content.
Question 7: AOA (American Osteopathic Association) specialty board certification was discontinued after the 2020 merger and is no longer available to DO graduates.
- True
- False — AOA board certification continues to exist alongside ABMS certification (Correct answer)
- True, all DOs must now pursue ABMS board certification exclusively
- AOA certification was discontinued in 2015, not 2020
Correct answer: False — AOA board certification continues to exist alongside ABMS certification
The 2020 merger unified residency accreditation under ACGME but did not eliminate AOA specialty boards; DOs may still obtain AOA board certification in addition to or instead of ABMS certification.
DO (True or False) 5
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) in the United States have full prescribing authority and scope of practice equivalent to MDs.