Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation

Type of Practitioner	Philosophy	Educational Requirements	Accreditation	Treatment Methods	Specialties	Continuing Medical Education
DO*	Scientific-based holistic treatment with additional training in the musculoskeletal system	4-yr. College degree 4-yr. Medical school 1-yr. Internship 2-7 yrs. Residency for specialists	Must pass national board examination to obtain a license	Standard medical therapies plus osteopathic manipulation	49 accredited specialties and subspecialties, including osteopathic manipulation	Arizona requires 20 CME credits per year
MD*	Scientific-based treatment focusing on disease	4-yr. college degree 4-yr. Medical school 1-yr. Internship 2-7 yrs. Residency for specialists	Must pass national board examination to obtain a license	Standard medical therapies for acute and chronic diseases	90 accredited specialties and subspecialties	Arizona requires 20 CME credits per year
*Only DOs and MDs are full service physicians licensed to prescribe medicine and perform surgery.
Homeopath	Believes a substance can cure the same problems it causes; uses dilute forms of medicines to stimulate the body to heal itself	Must be licensed healthcare provider; training depends on specific profession	Certification depends on type of provider (DO, MD, ND, other); licensed in AZ, CT, NV	Treats a wide range of maladies through specially formulated homeopathic medicines	Homeopaths do not focus on the disease process, rather they treat individuals to restore vitality and mind/body health	N/A
Naturopath	Treats patients without prescription drugs or major surgery through a variety of alternative therapies	4-yr. Naturopathic college, 1-yr. Internship in natural medicine; some practitioners may only have 3 mths. Training by correspondence course	Licensed in 11 states (including Arizona) through state licensing board examination	Methods include nutrition, herbal medicines, homeopathy, exercise, biofeedback, counseling, acupuncture, hydrotherapy	Nutrition, botanical medicine, manipulative therapies, natural childbirth, oriental medicine, counseling, stress management, minor surgery	Required to renew license in states that require board exam
Chiropractor	Focuses on spinal manipulation, believes imbalances in spine can lead to musculoskeletal and neurological problems	Associate degree plus 4-yr. Chiropractic college; additional training for physiotherapy and acupuncture	Must pass a national board examination to obtain a license	Adjusts spine and extremities; can order x-rays, lab work and diagnostic imaging; cannot prescribe drugs or perform surgery	Most treatment involves back and spine, also physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, nutritional counseling	N/A