Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic medicine means different things in different countries, and this is the first point to settle before choosing a course. In the United States it is one of the two routes to becoming a physician. In the United Kingdom, osteopathy is a separate regulated profession based on manual treatment. In Spain it is taught as a postgraduate specialisation for physiotherapists. The three routes differ in length, content and the right to practise.

The field began in the United States. According to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), osteopathic medicine was started in 1874 by Dr Andrew Taylor Still, who founded the first school in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1892. Its principles treat the body as a unit that is capable of self-regulation and self-healing, and they give the practitioner's hands a role in diagnosis and treatment. Students therefore learn anatomy, physiology and pathology in depth, clinical examination, and manual techniques for the musculoskeletal system.

Qualifications and levels

  • United States: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). The US Bureau of Labor Statistics describes two types of physicians with similar degrees, MD and DO. Both use the same methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, and DOs place additional emphasis on the musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine and whole-person care. Physicians typically need a bachelor's degree and then a medical degree that takes four more years, followed by three to nine years of internship and residency, depending on the specialty. AACOM counts 48 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine with 75 teaching locations in 36 states.
  • United Kingdom: osteopath. According to NHS Health Careers, osteopaths train to degree level, with a bachelor's or master's degree. Courses typically last three to five years and include over 1,000 hours of patient-facing clinical training. Graduates must register with the General Osteopathic Council to practise in the UK. This is not a medical degree.
  • Spain: master's degree for physiotherapists. Spanish law on the health professions lists medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary medicine at one level and nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, optics and optometry, speech therapy and human nutrition and dietetics at another; osteopathy is not on the list as a separate profession. Universities teach it as a specialisation within manual physiotherapy. The Universidad de Murcia teaches a Máster Universitario en Osteopatía, whose study plan was approved by the verification commission of the Consejo de Universidades on 29 July 2010. Admission requires an official health sciences degree, in particular physiotherapy, or a foreign equivalent. The Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) teaches a Máster Universitario en Osteopatía y Terapia Manual of 120 ECTS credits over two academic years in blended format, aimed at physiotherapy graduates.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists four active schools for osteopathic medicine, all in Spain. Two entries are for the Universidad de Murcia (the university and its Espinardo campus) and one is for UCAM, also in Murcia. The Universidad de Murcia programme includes supervised clinical experience in partner centres. UCAM lists an academic fee of €89.59 per ECTS credit, €10,750 in total, or €11,950 for students from outside the EU (price on the programme page, checked in October 2026), and 90 places.

The fourth entry is the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMSS) in Seville. It describes itself as a privately owned online English-language university and offers fully online programmes, including one it calls doctor of osteopathy (DO). This is a different qualification from the US medical degree of the same initials, which is awarded by the accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States. Before enrolling in any online programme, ask the regulator of the country where you want to work whether it accepts the qualification.

The US DO degree is not offered in Spain. Students who want it apply to a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States after a bachelor's degree.

Careers

The career depends on the route. In the United States, DOs are licensed physicians. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that they are most likely to be primary care physicians, although they work in all specialties, and AACOM states that they are more than 11 percent of all physicians in the country. The Bureau projects employment of physicians and surgeons to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035.

In the United Kingdom, NHS Health Careers says that graduates may set up a private clinic or work in the NHS or in private healthcare. In Spain, graduates of the master's degrees remain physiotherapists with a specialisation; UCAM names physiotherapy centres, specialised care centres, clinics, hospitals, private practices and sports centres as places of work.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine a physician?

In the United States, yes. MD and DO are the two types of physician degree, and both use the same methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Can I study osteopathy in Spain without being a physiotherapist?

The official master's degrees listed here are designed for physiotherapists. The Universidad de Murcia requires an official health sciences degree, in particular physiotherapy, and UCAM addresses its master's degree to physiotherapy graduates.

How long does the training take?

In the United States, four years of medical school after a bachelor's degree, plus three to nine years of internship and residency. In the United Kingdom, osteopathy courses typically last three to five years. The UCAM master's degree in Spain lasts two academic years.

Can I work in another country with my qualification?

Not automatically. Each country decides who may practise. In the United Kingdom, for example, osteopaths must register with the General Osteopathic Council. Check with the regulator before choosing where to study.