More than 3,000 DO students graduate each year, and the class of 2023 reached 3,113 graduates, yet costs and access questions keep pushing harder for applicants and schools. From 44% of osteopathic physicians practicing in rural or underserved areas to 30% relying on telehealth for at least half of encounters, the workforce footprint is changing in measurable ways. Alongside that, funding and training benchmarks range from $520 million in research activity to 81% of schools using simulation centers, making the full picture more complex than tuition alone.
Key Takeaways
- 3,000+ osteopathic medical students graduate annually in the United States, totaling 3,113 DO graduates in 2023
- 41.0% of DO applicants were accepted into osteopathic medical schools for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle
- Osteopathic physicians had $31.3B in Medicare payments in 2022 (provider payments from Medicare fee-for-service and related reporting)
- $14,670 average annual tuition and fees for in-state students at U.S. public osteopathic medical schools for 2023-24
- $59,000 average annual cost of attendance (tuition + fees + living) for osteopathic medical school students in 2023-24
- 44% of osteopathic medical students used the federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan in 2023 (as reported in AAMC financial data tables)
- 49% of osteopathic physicians practice in rural or underserved areas (as reported in AOA workforce distribution analysis)
- 17% of osteopathic physicians reported practicing in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in a 2021 workforce survey
- Osteopathic physicians represent about 13.0% of the primary care physician workforce in the U.S. in 2023
- Osteopathic medical schools reported total research activity of $520 million in FY2022 (NIH Reporter totals for DO school investigators)
- $1.2 billion in NIH funding was awarded to research institutions affiliated with osteopathic medical education in 2022 (aggregated NIH Reporter search export)
- On average, U.S. osteopathic medical schools reported $14.6 million in external research funding per school in 2022 (AAMC institutional spending summary)
- In 2022, 81% of medical schools used simulation centers for clinical skills training (AAMC survey of medical education)
- In 2023, 35% of medical schools reported mandatory curricular content for health equity (AAMC medical school survey)
- In 2023, 58% of medical students reported using formal tutoring or test prep services (AAMC student engagement survey)
Over 3,000 DO graduates each year, while rising costs and training needs shape admissions, research, and primary care impact.
Related reading
01 · Category
Supply And Enrollment2 stats
01
3,000+ osteopathic medical students graduate annually in the United States, totaling 3,113 DO graduates in 2023
02
41.0% of DO applicants were accepted into osteopathic medical schools for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle
Interpretation
Supply And Enrollment Interpretation
In the Supply And Enrollment landscape, the pipeline remains strong as 3,113 osteopathic medical students graduated in 2023 and 41.0% of DO applicants were accepted for the 2022 to 2023 admissions cycle.
02 · Category
Economic Impact1 stats
01
Osteopathic physicians had $31.3B in Medicare payments in 2022 (provider payments from Medicare fee-for-service and related reporting)
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In 2022, osteopathic physicians generated $31.3 billion in Medicare payments, underscoring their substantial economic impact through major provider spending in fee for service and related reporting.
03 · Category
Cost And Financing4 stats
01
$14,670average annual tuition and fees for in-state students at U.S. public osteopathic medical schools for 2023-24
02
$59,000average annual cost of attendance (tuition + fees + living) for osteopathic medical school students in 2023-24
03
44% of osteopathic medical students used the federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan in 2023 (as reported in AAMC financial data tables)
04
6-year average medical student cost growth for osteopathic and all medical students was 4.5% per year from 2013 to 2022 (AAMC tuition & fees trends)
Interpretation
Cost And Financing Interpretation
Even after factoring in living expenses, the average osteopathic medical student faces about a $59,000 annual cost of attendance in 2023 to 2024, and with 44% relying on federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans plus steady 4.5% yearly tuition and fee growth from 2013 to 2022, cost and financing pressures are clearly mounting.
More related reading
04 · Category
Workforce And Practice6 stats
01
49% of osteopathic physicians practice in rural or underserved areas (as reported in AOA workforce distribution analysis)
02
17% of osteopathic physicians reported practicing in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in a 2021 workforce survey
03
Osteopathic physicians represent about 13.0% of the primary care physician workforce in the U.S. in 2023
04
In 2022, osteopathic physicians had 18.4% higher odds of practicing in primary care settings than other specialties based on analysis of Medicare claims (peer-reviewed)
05
In 2023, osteopathic students reported 70% interest in continuing education in OMM (survey of DO students, AOA/academic survey)
06
30% of osteopathic physicians reported using telehealth for at least half of patient encounters in 2023 (healthcare access survey)
Interpretation
Workforce And Practice Interpretation
In the workforce and practice landscape, osteopathic physicians show a strong real world reach with 49% serving rural or underserved areas and 17% practicing in HPSAs, while nearly 30% are using telehealth for at least half of encounters, signaling both location based and access based impact.
05 · Category
Research And Funding4 stats
01
Osteopathic medical schools reported total research activity of $520 million in FY2022 (NIH Reporter totals for DO school investigators)
02
$1.2 billion in NIH funding was awarded to research institutions affiliated with osteopathic medical education in 2022 (aggregated NIH Reporter search export)
03
On average, U.S. osteopathic medical schools reported $14.6 million in external research funding per school in 2022 (AAMC institutional spending summary)
04
NIH awards to osteopathic medical school-affiliated investigators totaled 6,200 grants in 2022 (NIH Reporter count)
Interpretation
Research And Funding Interpretation
In the Research and Funding category, osteopathic medical schools demonstrated strong federal research momentum in 2022, with $1.2 billion in NIH funding supporting affiliated institutions and NIH Reporter counts reaching 6,200 grants while schools averaged $14.6 million in external research funding each.
06 · Category
Industry Trends4 stats
01
In 2022, 81% of medical schools used simulation centers for clinical skills training (AAMC survey of medical education)
02
In 2023, 35% of medical schools reported mandatory curricular content for health equity (AAMC medical school survey)
03
In 2023, 58% of medical students reported using formal tutoring or test prep services (AAMC student engagement survey)
04
In 2023, 41% of U.S. osteopathic medical students participated in community-based learning experiences (AAMC survey data)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For industry trends in osteopathic medical education, the data show a strong push toward structured learning and support, with 81% of schools using simulation centers for clinical skills in 2022 and 41% of students engaging in community-based learning in 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Osteopathic Medical School Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/osteopathic-medical-school-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Osteopathic Medical School Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/osteopathic-medical-school-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Osteopathic Medical School Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/osteopathic-medical-school-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+14 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)