The New Scope of Practice for Osteopathic Manual Practitioners in the United States

The American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (AAOMP) was requested by a federal health authority to develop and define a clear and standardized scope of practice for osteopathic manual practitioners affiliated with this authority.

I, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD, Founder of AAOMP and the National University of Medical Sciences (USA), developed this scope of practice in consultation with students, staff, faculty members, osteopathic manual practitioners, and other stakeholders.

This document serves as a guiding framework and may be updated, refined, or revised over time as required.

Two distinct scopes of practice have been established. The primary scope applies to all osteopathic manual practitioners and focuses on non-medical, biomechanical, and musculoskeletal care.

The second is an expanded scope of practice, which will require additional education, training, and certification. Under this proposed expanded scope, qualified practitioners may be permitted to provide additional services such as ultrasound, electrotherapy, laser therapy, traction, high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) techniques, and guidance on herbal and nutritional supplements including peptides.

This expanded scope of practice is currently under development and will be submitted for approval. It has not yet been approved.

We extend our sincere appreciation to all those who contributed their insights and feedback. While it is recognized that not all perspectives will align, the final framework reflects the preference of the majority, which supported an orthopedic-style, non-traditional, mechanically focused scope of practice limited to musculoskeletal conditions. The expanded scope, once approved, is intended to broaden this framework to include additional areas of care.