Osteopathic medicine is booming. If you’re an osteopathic physician (DO) preparing to land your first position or looking for a new opportunity, you’re entering the market at an extraordinary time. Osteopathic medicine is experiencing record growth—not just in numbers, but in recognition, reach and influence within the healthcare system.

The appeal of the DO approach—with its whole-person focus, emphasis on preventive care and ability to practice across all specialties—is increasingly resonating with both patients and employers. Now more than ever, healthcare organizations value DOs’ adaptability, especially as care shifts toward integrative and team-based models.

The numbers behind the surge

According to Jackson Physician Search, the number of DOs in the United States recently surpassed 150,000 for the first time, representing about 11% of all physicians nationwide. That’s a historic milestone for this incredible branch of medical providers.

The growth trend is accelerating for DOs in demand. Kansas Health Science University reports over the past decade, the number of DOs has grown by roughly 70%. Even more striking is nearly 30% growth occurred in the past five years.

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) points to two main drivers behind this surge:
1. Rising interest from medical students drawn to the holistic, patient-centered philosophy of osteopathic medicine.
2. Increasing healthcare demand amid persistent physician shortages, which have made DOs an essential part of the solution.

Driving the demand

The shortage of physicians—particularly in primary care, rural medicine and underserved urban communities—is putting DOs in high demand. The AOA notes DOs are more likely than their MD counterparts to enter primary care, which makes them especially valuable as the US and Canada face projected shortages in family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics.

Employers also value DOs in specialty care roles, from emergency medicine and orthopedics to anesthesiology and psychiatry. This flexibility makes DOs an asset in both large health systems and independent practices.

Geographic hotspots for DO opportunities

While demand is high across the US and Canada, certain areas are especially promising for DOs seeking new opportunities:

  • Rural Midwest & Great Plains – States like Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota offer strong recruitment incentives and loan repayment programs. For instance, in Iowa, UnityPoint Health, a nonprofit, 900-member physician group practice not only has DO opportunities in Internal Medicine and other specialties, but they also support IMGs in need of visa assistance.
  • Southeast – States such as Florida, Georgia and North Carolina are seeing rapid population growth and physician retirements, creating urgent hiring needs. For example, Baptist Health System, which dominates northern Florida, is a great place for cardiologists, internists and other specialties.
  • Southwest – Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico face both rural and urban shortages, with many health systems actively recruiting DOs. Envision Physician Services, a leading national medical group, provides a range of services in 16 states including Texas and Arizona. Focused on helping you find the right opportunity, Envision has opportunities in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, hospital medicine and other specialties.
  • Northeast underserved regions – While the Northeast has a high physician density overall, areas in upstate New York, Maine and Pennsylvania have persistent recruitment challenges, making them competitive markets for DO candidates. The stalwart of patient care, Penn State Health is a multi-hospital health system across 29 counties in central Pennsylvania. DOs experience diverse clinical cases and, depending on the specialty, may have opportunities for teaching and research.

For DOs entering the job market, opportunities have never been greater. The profession’s rapid growth, coupled with nationwide physician shortages, positions DOs as key players in shaping the future of U.S. healthcare. Make use of PracticeLink to keep an eye on regions and specialties with the highest need and be open to roles that align with your values and training.