An allopathic physician, also known as a medical doctor (MD), treats disease and injury using a biologically based approach. Conventional medical practice, also known as Western or modern medicine, is referred to as allopathic medicine. To diagnose, treat, and prevent the symptoms and processes of illness and other conditions, such a physician uses pharmacological agents or other physical interventions. Examining patients, ordering and analyzing diagnostic tests, and collecting and reviewing medical histories are among the other responsibilities.
An allopathic physician is the type of doctor with which most people in the western world are most familiar. An MD is a physician who sees and examines patients in a clinic, hospital, or private practice. They consult a patient’s medical history and order and interpret diagnostic tests in order to prevent and heal illness and injury. Many specialize in one area, such as working with children or treating a specific type of cancer.
The typical contact between an allopathic physician and a patient begins when the patient schedules an appointment. It could be for a routine physical examination, a vaccination, or to have symptoms assessed and a condition diagnosed. The doctor will usually begin listening to the patient describe the reason for the appointment, followed an examination, a review of the patient’s medical history, and, if necessary, diagnostic tests. When an allopathic physician attempts to make a definitive diagnosis, he or she considers all of these factors.
Once a diagnosis has been made, the doctor will usually recommend a treatment plan, which may or may not include pharmaceutical drugs. The patient is then referred if surgery or further examination a specialist is required. An MD may not be able to speak with or obtain consent from a patient prior to treatment in an emergency situation. In such situations, the physician must often make a decision about how to proceed, possibly after consulting with colleagues.
Some allopathic physicians teach or conduct research in laboratories rather than working directly with patients. A government, a private company, or another entity can fund such research. The topics of research range from determining the cause of a condition to developing a cure for an illness.
In order to become an allopathic physician in the United States or Canada, a person must first complete a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in medical school. The sciences, such as general and organic chemistry, physics, and biology, dominate most medical school prerequisite courses. It’s possible that biochemistry, calculus, and a behavioral science like psychology will be required. In addition, most medical schools require applicants to take an aptitude test such as the Medical College Admission Test®, or MCAT®, and to shadow a practicing allopathic physician.
Medical schools in the United States require four years of coursework beyond an undergraduate degree. The first two years are usually preclinical, with students learning physiology, pharmacology, and biochemistry in the classroom and in the laboratory. The clinical phase lasts the last two years. Students work with patients in teaching hospitals or similar settings under the supervision of attending physicians. Students cannot practice as allopathic physicians on their own after graduation unless they complete an internship.
In about 1810, homeopath Samuel Hahnemann coined the term “allopathic medicine.” It’s a term frequently used proponents of alternative medicine to denigrate conventional or allopathic doctors, many of whom have never accepted the label. While homeopathy is based on the belief that disease can be treated with diluted solutions that should produce similar symptoms in a healthy person, an allopathic physician is trained in and primarily uses pharmacological treatments that have effects that are not the same as the illness or injury.