Looking for a D.O. as Your Primary Care Doctor? Here’s What to Know

Apr 2

When patients choose a primary care physician, they may see both M.D. and D.O. credentials. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine bring the same full medical training as M.D.s but with a distinct philosophy and added hands-on skills. Physicians like Dr. Lok, trained at the founding osteopathic school in Kirksville, Missouri, exemplify this approach.

A Medical Tradition with Deep Roots

Osteopathic medicine began in 1874 with Andrew Taylor Still, who believed that health depends on the proper relationship between the body’s structure and function. He established the first osteopathic school in Kirksville—now A.T. Still University, where Dr. Lok completed osteopathic training.

“To find health should be the object of the doctor; anyone can find disease.”
— A.T. Still, MD, DO

What Sets a D.O. Apart?

Although D.O.s and M.D.s share the same national board exams, residency programs, and prescribing authority, osteopathic physicians are shaped by three defining features:

Holistic, patient-centered care
D.O.s emphasize the whole person—considering lifestyle, stress, environment, and long-term wellness.
A hands-on approach, including OMT
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) uses gentle, anatomy-based techniques to diagnose and treat structural issues. Dr. Lok integrates OMT with conventional care, offering patients additional treatment options for pain and mobility problems.
A strong orientation toward primary care
D.O.s enter family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics at higher rates than M.D.s, supported by osteopathic schools that emphasize community-focused and preventive care.

These differences reflect both the philosophy of the profession and the way osteopathic physicians are trained.

A Tradition of Whole-Person Medicine

Osteopathic medicine historically encourages physicians to seek underlying causes, not just symptoms. Early osteopathic researcher Louisa Burns, DO, expressed this clearly:

“To treat osteopathically is to seek the causes of suffering, not merely its signs.”

Why Choose a D.O. Like Dr. Lok?

Patients looking for a primary care physician who:

Provides full, comprehensive medical care
Uses modern diagnostics and prescribing
Values prevention and lifestyle
Offers hands-on treatment when appropriate
Views the patient as an interconnected whole

…may find a D.O. an ideal match. Physicians like Dr. Lok unite rigorous medical training with the holistic principles that have guided osteopathic medicine for more than a century. Dr. Lok has her own primary care clinic on the border of Asheville and Weaverville where she offers primary care memberships and Osteopathic Manual Therapy Sessions. Osteopathic Manual Therapy sessions are available to non members or membership for a discount.

Schedule a meet & greet with Dr. Lok for primary care membership or to schedule a non member Osteopathic Manual Treatment session here https://www.riverrockclinic.com/meetandgreet

References

Perceptions of Philosophic and Practice Differences Between US Osteopathic Physicians and Their Allopathic Counterparts.

Johnson SM, Kurtz ME.

Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2002;55(12):2141-8. doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(01)00357-4.

Comparison of Osteopathic and Allopathic Medical Schools' Support for Primary Care.

Peters AS, Clark-Chiarelli N, Block SD.

Journal of General Internal Medicine. 1999;14(12):730-9. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.1999.03179.x.

Sociodemographic and Geographic Characteristics Associated With Patient Visits to Osteopathic Physicians for Primary Care.

Licciardone JC, Singh KP.

BMC Health Services Research. 2011;11:303. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-11-303.

Comparison of Outcomes for Patients Treated by Allopathic vs Osteopathic Surgeons.

Russell TA, Yoshida R, Men M, et al.