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Seeking out a D.O., or doctor of osteopathic medicine, as your primary care provider could be an alternative option. provides education for students pursuing this direction.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSay youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re being treated for headaches. That headache could be caused by 15 different things going on in your body and so figuring out the root cause leads to more effective treatment,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� said Carolyn Penn, the campus director for the WVSOM South West Region.

WVSOM specializes in rural medicine. While many of its students do come from other states and want to go back home once they graduate, the goal of the school is to get people to stay in West Virginia, which has many health care deserts, Penn said.

According to data from the school, it attracts the highest number of out-of-state students to West Virginia of the stateÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s three medical schools.

The process of becoming a D.O. is nearly indistinguishable from the process of becoming a doctor of medicine (M.D.). They must first have a bachelorÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s degree, complete the MCAT, do a residency, get board certification and all the other things that an M.D. does. Their approach to healing is what sets them apart from an M.D.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOsteopathic medicine offers another approach to treating patients,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� said Shashank Singh, a year four student at WVSOM.

Doctors of osteopathic medicine are licensed to practice in all 50 states and are in every medical specialty from gynecology to internal medicine to pediatrics to oncology; often working alongside doctors of medicine. They use all modern medical treatments and technologies to diagnose and treat disease and injury.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œTheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re just easier to talk to, much more laid back, understanding of social context situation and lifestyle,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Kevin Mathews, a year four student at WVSOM, said on what sets doctors of osteopathic medicine apart.

There are a few misconceptions and stereotypes that come with this. For one, doctors of osteopathic medicine are not chiropractors.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe do not have Himalayan salt lamps and practice homeopathic medicine. That is not what we do,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Mathews said.

According to the , itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s instead ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œa whole-person approach to hands-on care. Osteopathic physicians believe thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s more to good health than the absence of pain or disease.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

They apply a patient-centric, hands-on diagnostic and treatment approach. There is also an emphasis on using the bodyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s natural ability to heal itself.

Mathews says that another unique thing about osteopathic medicine is that sometimes, you can diagnose and treat a patient in under a minute. He said that he was able to help his sister with menstrual pains by using a technique called sacral rocking.

Osteopathic medicine is not against modern drugs or surgeries, but acknowledges they can have complicated side effects and long recovery times that alter a patientÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s quality of life. Instead, its approach uses alternative methods of healing when it presents the best outcome for the patient.