Osteopathic Doctor Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for an osteopathic doctor job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an osteopathic doctor. Feel free to use our osteopathic doctor job description template to produce your own osteopathic doctor job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an osteopathic doctor.
Who is an Osteopathic Doctor?
Osteopathic doctors are specialists who work closely with their patients to provide comprehensive medical care that includes symptom treatment as well as disease prevention advice.
Those in this field are taught about the musculoskeletal system, which connects the nerves, muscles, and bones, and how each influences the other. Manual methods of self-healing, such as spinal manipulation or massage therapy, are promoted by osteopathic doctors.
Osteopathic doctors can examine patients, diagnose illnesses, evaluate wounds, write prescriptions, perform surgery, and treat patients with medical innovations such as radiation.
They are educated to treat patients holistically and to look beyond the outward signs of illness. They work to determine the root of health issues. Osteopathic doctors evaluate the patient’s mental, physical, spiritual, and environmental conditions through a series of interviews, physical examinations, manipulations, and tests in order to prevent illness and advance healing.
Although most applicants have at least a bachelor’s degree and many have advanced degrees, three years of college are the minimum educational requirement for admission into an osteopathic medical school.
Osteopathic doctors must be able to manage stress and remain composed under pressure because their work can be emotionally and physically tasking.
Osteopathic Doctor Job Description
What is an osteopathic doctor job description? An osteopathic doctor job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of an osteopathic doctor in an organization. Below are the osteopathic doctor job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an osteopathic doctor job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of Osteopathic Doctors include:
- Using various movements and palpations to aid in the diagnosis of illnesses.
- Cooperating with other healthcare professionals and seeking advice as needed.
- Ensuring manipulative therapy is used to correct and treat problems with the muscles, bones, and other systems of the body.
- Developing treatment plans and providing medical advice to patients, their family members, or caregivers.
- Ensuring patients are given lifestyle and dietary advice on topics such as posture, eating, exercise, and relaxation.
- Recommending chiropractic care or massage therapy in addition to medication to help relieve pain or discomfort.
- Repairing or replacing broken bones or other musculoskeletal structures through surgery.
- Expanding professional networks and attending conferences to stay up to date on medical industry developments.
- Performing diagnostic procedures, such as urinalysis and blood tests, to determine the cause of pain or illness.
- Placing an order for diagnostic tests and analyzing the results.
- Giving patients advice on how to improve their health, break bad habits, and manage chronic symptoms.
- Arranging follow-up appointments and monitoring patients’ progress.
- Using x-rays, MRIs, and other diagnostic tools to treat patients.
- Conducting initial evaluations with patients to assess their general health and identify any problems that may necessitate the consultation of a specialist for further examination.
Qualifications
To work as an osteopathic doctor, you must have the following qualifications:
- Doctor of osteopathic medicine.
- A completed residency or internship.
- Prior experience as an osteopathic doctor.
- Strong people skills, and analytical and observational abilities.
- Outstanding report-writing skills.
- A commitment to professional excellence, as well as a growth mindset.
- Capable of seeing the big picture while remaining detail-oriented.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
Essential Skills
The following skills are required for osteopathic doctors to be successful:
- Observational Ability:
Osteopathic doctors must observe their patients in order to assess their health and determine the best course of action. They must be able to detect changes in their patient’s conditions and modify their care as needed. Osteopathic doctors must also be able to read their patients’ body language in order to determine whether they are at ease during treatment.
- Empathy:
Osteopathic doctors frequently deal with patients who are in pain, so compassion and empathy are essential. They can use empathy to make patients feel at ease and confident in their care. Osteopathic physicians can use this data to better understand their patient’s needs and develop pain-relieving treatments.
- Organizational Skills:
As a member of the healthcare team, osteopathic physicians must be skilled time managers in order to provide high-quality care to all of their patients. Organizational skills include the ability to prioritize tasks, keep accurate records, and coordinate care among various providers.
- Computer Knowledge:
Osteopathic doctors use computers for a variety of tasks in their field. As a result, they must be well-versed in scientific and medical software.
- Adaptability:
Technology is at the heart of the medical field. Successful osteopathic doctors are willing to use cutting-edge equipment and therapies, as well as keep up with industry developments.
- Communication Ability:
Osteopathic doctors frequently consult with patients to understand their health issues and develop treatment plans. They also consult with other medical specialists to coordinate patient care. Osteopaths may also consult with patients to discuss treatment options and answer any questions they may have.
- Listening Skills:
Osteopathic doctors must be able to listen to and understand their patients’ needs. To fully comprehend their patient’s conditions and needs, they must be able to formulate appropriate questions. This can help them develop treatment plans that address their patients’ problems while also improving their overall health.
- Physical Dexterity:
Osteopathic doctors manipulate their patients’ bodies, perform physical examinations, and carry out therapeutic procedures. They need physical dexterity to achieve these tasks.
- Attention to Detail:
When diagnosing and treating patients, osteopathic doctors pay close attention to various details, such as physical symptoms, a patient’s state of mind, medical histories, patient interviews, imaging, and medical tests, to correctly diagnose illness and recommend medications and treatments. For example, noticing a minor detail in a case history can result in a successful outcome.
- Problem-solving Logic:
This skill is critical to the success of osteopathic doctors because it affects them on a daily basis. Using problem-solving techniques, osteopathic physicians evaluate, diagnose, and recommend the best course of treatment or medication.
- Capability to Lead:
Osteopathic doctors must be strong leaders in order to effectively lead medical teams and provide effective patient care.
As an osteopathic doctor, you may be in charge of a team of nurses, paramedics, or other medical professionals. Strong leadership skills enable osteopathic doctors to effectively manage their teams and ensure that everyone is working toward the same goals. Furthermore, it allows you to give your coworkers the confidence they need to follow your lead.
- Professionalism:
Osteopathic doctors frequently face stressful situations. They must make decisions while remaining calm and professional.
- Medical knowledge:
Osteopathic doctors are highly trained professionals who work in teams with other members of the medical community to provide patient care. For competent care, a thorough understanding of human anatomy and physiology, common medical conditions, diagnostics and treatments, pharmacology, and laboratory techniques are required.
How to Become an Osteopathic Doctor
An osteopathic physician’s career can be extremely rewarding. As an osteopathic physician, you will have the opportunity to help patients of all ages and from all walks of life. The following steps can assist those interested in this career path in getting started:
- Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Osteopathic doctors must first complete a four-year bachelor’s degree program in pre-medicine, biology, or a closely related field from an accredited university or college before pursuing a career in medicine. They must complete the prerequisite courses for medical school in addition to their undergraduate studies. Even though no specific undergraduate degree or major is required, osteopathic medical programs have some prerequisite courses that must be completed in order to be accepted. Courses frequently require biology, physics, chemistry, humanities, and social sciences.
- Pass the MCAT
You must pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) before applying to medical school. Students typically take the MCAT during their third year of college.
The test is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The standardized multiple-choice exam assists medical school admissions offices in evaluating your problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and familiarity with ideas and concepts in the natural, behavioral, and social sciences that are required for medical school study.
- Apply to Medical Schools Offering Osteopathic Programs
After passing the medical college admission test (MCAT), you will be able to apply to medical schools. Members of the school’s admissions committee may interview you and request supporting documentation to determine your eligibility. Letters of recommendation attesting to a person’s personality, leadership potential, and involvement in extracurricular activities, as well as university transcripts and MCAT results, are frequently required as documentation.
- Complete Osteopathic Medical Program
An osteopathic medical program typically lasts four years. During the first two years, students studied anatomy and body structure, pharmacology, infectious diseases, human organ systems, and biochemistry. Studying patient interaction, health law, ethics, and medical examinations will help you become more acquainted with a doctor’s responsibilities.
Clinical training for various specialties, such as surgery, pediatrics, and cardiology, takes place during the final two years of medical school.
- Obtain a License
All osteopathic doctors must pass a state medical board examination before they can practice medicine. State-specific licensing requirements vary widely, so contact your state’s medical board of certification for more information. Before you can be licensed and qualified to enter a residency program, you must typically pass the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners'(NBOME) Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensure Exam (COMLEX-USA).
The comprehensive osteopathic medical licensure exam, or COMLEX, assesses an osteopathic graduate’s ability to practice osteopathic medicine. It includes questions from standardized tests as well as a pass/fails clinical exam.
Despite the fact that only one of these exams is required for residency matching, some osteopathic professionals take both the COMLEX and the USMLE.
- Complete Internship and Residency
Once you’ve completed medical school and obtained your license, you can apply for an internship program. Internships usually last a year and allow you to develop technical skills under close supervision.
Osteopathic doctors enter a residency program after completing an internship in an American Osteopathic Association-approved (AOA) specialty such as family medicine or pediatrics. Residency programs can last anywhere from three to eight years, depending on the specialty. Some doctors choose to train for an additional year while holding a fellowship.
- Obtain Certifications
Although it is not required, a certification could help you get a job as an Osteopathic director by demonstrating your knowledge of osteopathy. Certification is provided by two companies:
- American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS):
By looking at your American Board Medical specialists (BMS) certification, the public can see that you adhere to nationally recognized standards for experience, knowledge, education, and skills. You must also pass a test developed and administered by the specialty board. To become certified in a subspecialty discipline, you must first be certified by your specialty board, then complete additional training and pass assessments in that discipline.
- American Osteopathic Association (AOA):
The AOA certification is an important quality indicator. To be certified, you must complete a residency training program that is both ACGME and AOA accredited. You must also have graduated from an osteopathic medical school that has been accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). You must also meet any prerequisites specific to your specialty and pass the certification exam.
- Begin practicing in a specialty and Continuous learning
After receiving board certification, the DO can begin working in their chosen field and treating patients for their ailments. Osteopathic doctors frequently practice primary care, internal medicine, family practice, orthopedics, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, sports medicine, and other specialties. Specialists will continue to receive practical training in their field while also learning more about the specific branch of medicine in which they wish to specialize.
Similarly, it is critical to continue learning and broaden your field of knowledge. This can be accomplished by enrolling in continuing education classes, reading relevant books, and networking with other professionals.
Where to Work as an Osteopathic Doctor
Osteopathic doctors work in a variety of settings, including research institutes, hospitals, clinics, and private practices. In order to accommodate their patients’ schedules, they may work evenings or weekends in addition to their full-time job. Private practice osteopathic doctors may be able to work more flexible hours. On-call osteopathic medical professionals who work in clinics or hospitals are always available for work. Those who work in research institutes work regular hours, but they may need to put in extra time to complete experiments or write reports.
Osteopathic Doctor Salary Scale
Osteopathic doctor varies depending on their employer, years of experience, and geographic location, among other factors.
According to payscale.com, an osteopathic doctor in their early career with 1-4 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $139,498. (tips, bonus, and overtime pay included). A mid-career doctor with five to nine years of experience can expect to earn an average salary of $137,500. An experienced osteopathic doctor, with 10-19 years of experience can expect to earn an average total pay of $192,208 per year. Employees in their late careers (20 years and up) earn an average annual total compensation of $167,739.