Massage doctors get green light to practise in Jamaica

The Medical Council of Jamaica is now recognising the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine qualification.

The council notes that while there are similarities with the Doctor of Medicine in the basic training programme, there are differences in the methods of treatment, and this had sparked some concern among local medical practitioners.

A doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) is a fully trained and licensed doctor who has attended and graduated from a United States Osteopathic Medical School, while a doctor of medicine (MD) has attended and graduated from what is called a conventional (allopathic) medical school.

The major difference between osteopathic and allopathic doctors is that some osteopathic doctors provide manual medicine therapies, such as spinal manipulation or massage therapy, as part of their treatment.

It is, however, required that after medical school, both MDs and DOs must complete residency training in their chosen specialities.