It's easy to recognize doctors just by reading their nametags. After all, they have the letters MD after their last names, right? But what if you see the letters DO? You might be surprised to learn that this is an abbreviation for another type of physician. Perhaps you aren't sure whether your child currently sees a DO (a doctor of osteopathic medicine; an osteopathic physician) or an MD (a doctor of medicine). Your main concern is that your child receives excellent medical care, and both MDs and DOs are good choices when it comes to your child's health.