Osteopathic distinctiveness in osteopathic predoctoral education and its effect on osteopathic graduate medical education.

The number of colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs), osteopathic medical students, and osteopathic physicians in practice has been consistently growing since the 1960s. In recent years, the growth of the profession has been exponential. Despite this growth, graduates of COMs are increasingly choosing allopathic residencies.