Infographic: The path to becoming a physician in the US

One in four medical students in the U.S. attends an osteopathic medical school. There are now 38 colleges of osteopathic medicine, located at 59 campuses. Approximately 7,000 new physicians graduated from osteopathic medical schools in 2019, bringing the total number of DOs to 121,006, the highest number in history. In the last three decades, the number of DOs has grown by nearly 300%.

The graphic below provides a visual overview of the average medical trainee’s journey, which typically ranges from seven to 11 years following undergraduate studies.