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You both are allopaths (and likely bristle at the word?). I’ve known MDs who do and also known MDs who lean toward holistic approaches.

I speak as a patient. Specifically, a rural patient and even more granularly, a rural patient with a history of practicing anatomically-based Western soft-tissue massage.

While most DOs today no longer have the time to use manipulative techniques and are willing to leave them to chiros, competent massage therapists and PTs, it has always been a plus to me and my family that they actually have some respect for and understanding of the use of musculo-skeletal approaches.

So, to me and mine, a (usually older/private practice)physician with a DO is familiar and we consider the added approach a plus.

I have retired MDs in the family, as well as retired APRNs. At one time, the former looked down on the latter. Aside from surgery and perhaps various certifications in techniques requiring advanced trainings, they not only seem to a patient to do a lot of the same actual work, the differences often boil down (to the end user) to ones of approach and accessibility.

Once upon a time, my go-to *doc* was a former Army nurse, later in charge of a rural ER, who went on to get her APRN and today teaches. I’d take _her_ evaluation of someone for their surgical skills over the surgeon’s wall of degrees, or at least, factor her opinion in with the rest of the certifications. She had experience in field hospital work and, in my local hospital, had worked with all the physicians and surgeons.

I understand the differences, including the prestige of attending a medical school vs. an osteopathic school. I have witnessed the arguments. I have worked under referral with some of each. Drugs and surgery are not all there is in medicine and since DOs can utilize, as well as employ an understanding of manipulation techniques, including that of soft tissue, even if they don’t use them themselves, that, to me as a patient, is a plus. I appreciate someone who not only considers supplements, but has a more than basic understanding their uses. I don’t personally utilize joint manipulations as a patient and have a distrust of some of them, but there are chiros who get great outcomes. I’ve also been less than impressed with MDs who dismiss PTs with “Do whatever it is you do down there[in that department].”, especially when the PT in question has a PhD and gets great outcomes even when they cannot prescribe, perform surgery or are required to work within the specific constraints prescribed by the MDs. Sometimes, it just comes down to coding and insurance requirements.

No aspersions on either of you, your training or your qualifications. Every provider is subject to the oversight of the institution, the insurance companies, the codes, and what looks to the patient like plain old bureaucratic hierarchies. Just my personal observations and experiences. I respect what it takes to each job in a medical practice. Given a choice of provider, I’d be biased to consider a DO first.

YYMV.

You have your right to go to. DO first. I have known some terrible MRs and some excellent DOs and have no preference over which is better. I will take issue with APRNs. I think they have their place seeing routine things with close supervision by a physician. They are in no way on par with a physician. APRNs have a bachelors degree plus 1 1/2 years or so of additional training. I have 7 years of training last my bachelors degree. There is simply no comparison. I have a friend that just got her NP. She proudly told me she is ready to practice because she has had 750 hours of clinical instruction. and hat would be a about 2 months odd the 3 rd year of medical school with 5 years more to go to finish medical school and the shortest residency. Sorry but they are not even close to the same