11/15/2025
Thanks American Academy of Osteopathy for this important list. Maybe you could share more about each of these pioneers. I think there’s a video of Louisa burns research. :) 🧐
Osteopathic medicine has seen countless influential DOs. Here are 5 DOs who truly left their mark in history 📍
#1 A.T. Still, MD, DO
A list of influential DOs would be incomplete without A.T. Still. Andrew Taylor Still founded osteopathic medicine in 1874 after rejecting the limitations of conventional care. He introduced the idea that the body can heal itself when its structure and function are in balance. His school in Kirksville shaped the entire profession that exists today.
#2 William Garner Sutherland, DO
William Garner Sutherland pioneered the cranial concept and reshaped how DOs understand motion within the human body. His research showed that the skull is not fixed and that subtle rhythms influence health. His ideas became a central pillar of modern osteopathic manipulative treatment.
#3 John Martin Littlejohn, DO
John Martin Littlejohn helped bring osteopathic medicine to an international audience after training directly under A. T. Still. He founded the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and later expanded osteopathy across Europe.
#4 Jenette H. Bolles, DO
Jenette Bolles was one of the earliest female DOs to gain national influence after graduating in 1894. She founded the Western Institute of Osteopathy in Denver and served as first vice president to the AOA.
#5 Louisa Burns, DO
Louisa Burns was a pioneering researcher in osteopathic medicine. She headed the A.T. Still Research Institute for years and her work showed that stimulation in one part of the body could affect other, distant parts supports the principles that are foundational to osteopathic practice.
This list is in no particular order. Who do you think should be added to this list? Let us know in the comments below 👇
