| Summary: | This dissertation examines the unique profession of the Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). Professions theory states that a key trait of professions is monopoly over a given jurisdiction. However, the D.O.s do not adhere to this characteristic as they have been able to fight for and successfully win full medical practice privileges, resulting in a complete overlap of Doctors of Medicine (M.D.) jurisdiction. In this project, the D.O. profession is used as a case in which to refine professions theory. The main question asked is: How has the D.O. profession managed to secure a complete jurisdictional overlap with M.D.s while maintaining itself as a separate professional group? This dissertation traces the osteopathic profession from its founding to the current day for answers to this question.
I argue that with the claim of jurisdictional monopoly, there is an assumption within professions theory that jurisdictional and professional boundaries align for each profession. However, because there are different mechanisms at work behind the maintenance of these two boundaries, there will be some slippage behind the boundaries' alignment. The D.O. case is one in which the misalignment between the two boundaries is extreme.
The osteopathic profession appealed to lawmakers and the public (non-physicians) in order to expand their jurisdictional boundaries. The changes implemented by D.O.s resulted in their profession looking increasingly similar to the M.D. profession. With these similarities, lawmakers and lay individuals started to consider D.O.s simply as another type of physician, thereby allowing D.O.s the same privileges as M.D.s. However, while the D.O.s were expanding their jurisdictional privileges by appealing to non-physicians, the D.O. professional boundary was maintained at the professional level between D.O.s and M.D.s. The physicians considered their professions separate and kept them as such. This professional boundary maintenance is stable today due to the status difference between the two groups. The status difference between the D.O.s and M.D.s has also been found to affect the professions in other ways such as in their ability to fight off external threats.
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