The faculty member who teaches osteopathic medicine in a college of osteopathic medicine — covering osteopathic principles and practice, OMT, and the clinical reasoning that osteopathic physicians develop. Half academic faculty, half practicing or recently practicing DO.
Most days tend to involve a blend of classroom and small-group teaching, OMT lab supervision, and continued clinical practice — leading didactic sessions, supervising students on osteopathic manipulative technique, and seeing your own patients. You'll often spend part of the time on scholarly or service work that academic osteopathic medicine expects.
The harder part is often balancing the multiple demands of teaching, clinical care, and scholarship in a profession where osteopathic identity coexists with the broader clinical training students receive. You'll typically work with students at varied points in clinical development, while staying credible both in OMT and in conventional clinical practice.
People who tend to thrive here are clinically grounded in osteopathic practice, patient teachers, and willing to invest in academic responsibilities. The trade-off is the salary differential with private practice and the cumulative work of academic responsibilities. If you find satisfaction in shaping the next generation of osteopathic physicians, the work can carry meaning that pure clinical practice doesn't.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
The faculty member who teaches osteopathic medicine in a college of osteopathic medicine — covering osteopathic principles and practice, OMT, and the clinical reasoning that osteopathic physicians develop. Half academic faculty, half practicing or recently practicing DO.
Median pay for an Osteopathic Medicine Teacher is about $106K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $52K to $208K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Speaking, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, and Learning Strategies.
Most people in this role hold a master's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 17.3% through 2034, with roughly 229,720 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Health Teacher, First Aid Teacher, and Clinical Instructor.
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