How much comes off?

Both osteopathic (DO) schools and allopathic (MD) schools have physical exam courses which require students to practice on each other; osteopathic schools have OMM lab which is much more extensive, however. At most schools, people wear shorts and t-shirts, and only take their shirts off when they're actually working on the chest, back, etc, etc. Girls usually wear sports-bras, and obviously don't have to take those off. Most schools are very respectful of the students and their issues with their bodies; there's usually a disclaimer in the course packet that makes a big deal about modesty and maturity, responsibility and all that. Additionally, some schools put girls together in pairs and guys together in pairs. Some schools don't. Choose a partner who you're comfortable with, guy or girl; I think that's the most important thing.

You're learning medicine; the hangups people have with their bodies fade away pretty quickly when everyone realizes that they're all there to learn how to heal people, not be stupid and childish.

p.s. If you have concerns for religious reasons, talk to the administration to see what kind of accomodations they can make. It would be pretty awful if they made Muslim women sit in the OMM lab at one of the 50 tables with nothing but a sports-bra on.

At MSUCOM, we wear scrubs. A few of the girls wear sports bras, and once in a while a few of the guys take their shirts off, but that's rare.

t2003 said:

What about socks?

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Many people just wear flip flops to lab. My feet get cold, so I always wear socks unless we are working on the foot/ankle. And then I take them off long enough for my partner to practice.

I can only speak for my school, TUNV. Our OMM attire is short shorts for guys (4 cm above the knee) no shirt no shoes (or socks). For women it is the same, but with sports bra. That being said, when we are learing things like cervical/cranial counterstrain or even wrist and hand, it may not be necessary to fully disrobe.

Its all fun and games until someone palpates the AL5...

AZCOM you can wear whatever you want as long as it is not jeans and no beltloops/ belts. Everyone keeps their clothes on. You don't choose your own partners though - they are assigned every week so you get a more diverse experience with different body types. Mostly it is sweats and t-shirts - general workout clothes.

t2003 said:

Question: I am researching osteopathic medicine and it says that while learning, students practice on other students. When learning OMM how invovled do the training exams get? For example, are you always clothed or do certain items, like socks and over shirts(assuming an undershirt or tank top is underneath) routinely come off? I have no idea what it is like so any description would be appreciated.

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We wear t-shirts, shorts, and socks for our OMM labs at DMU.

t2003 said:

Question: I am researching osteopathic medicine and it says that while learning, students practice on other students. When learning OMM how invovled do the training exams get? For example, are you always clothed or do certain items, like socks and over shirts(assuming an undershirt or tank top is underneath) routinely come off? I have no idea what it is like so any description would be appreciated.

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They are pretty strict about it at Nova. Girls are in shorts and sports bras, guys in shorts and t-shirts or tank tops. If you don't come to lab dressed like that, you get points taken off of your grade.

We wear t-shirts and scrub pants for everything.

You wear shirts during the whole lab, or just up until you get a treatment? How can you accurately palpate fascial patterns, etc... through a shirt?

just out of random curiosity, what would a school do if someone had a moral objection to wearing such skimpy clothing in front of other people? there are lots of religions that require a certain amount of covering -- do students from these backgrounds just not go to osteopathic schools or would a school make accommodations? my hunch is that they would accommodate and might even be legally required to do so.

Taus said:

There is now a clause in the PCOM acceptance criteria form (the letter you get after you're accepted that you need to sign and state that you will maintain things like academic excellence and upstanding legal stuff until you begin school)

It now also states something to the effect of understanding that you will be required to undress in this manner in labs (OMM and primary care skills too I think). So basically that means that you have signed a contract w/ the school agreeing to do this....I assume that if you have a problem w/ it you can't sign the form and hence won't attend the school....

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They are really becoming strict with this at PCOM. Our class had some wiggle room, but it seems that they are planning to close all the loop holes next year. They have a whole set of reasons for this, some good, some bad.

LHUEMT911 said:

You wear shirts during the whole lab, or just up until you get a treatment? How can you accurately palpate fascial patterns, etc... through a shirt?

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Ask this same question one year from now. If you don't feel like your question has been sufficiently answered, you should practice more.

This whole discussion makes me laugh, because this is truly only something that happens for the first quarter or two of school--then your palp. skills are good enough that shedding a shirt isn't that important.

LHUEMT911 said:

You wear shirts during the whole lab, or just up until you get a treatment? How can you accurately palpate fascial patterns, etc... through a shirt?

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You should be able to. If not, you have not developed your palpatory skills well enough.

We get naked here.

Seriously, we have no “rules” about what to dress with; they tell us to wear something loose and thin within reason. I wear sweat pants and a t-shirt, but that is what I wear most days anyway. We are also told that if you are not comfortable working with someone of the opposite sex for whatever reason you can switch and that you may just observe certain things if you are not comfortable. No one has done this, but it is nice to know that if someone had a religious issue or just felt uncomfortable they could opt out. Like most things here it is very laid back and up to you how much you want to take out of it, this is medical school not kindergarten.

Nate said:

this is medical school not kindergarten.

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Although I find it somewhat humorous that whatever school takes off points from your grade for not, "dressing out".

JKDMed said:

Although I find it somewhat humorous that whatever school takes off points from your grade for not, "dressing out".

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You can look at it that way, I guess. However, if you're stuck with the person who's got three layers of clothing on and you're trying to palpate the PSIS for sacral dysfunction it makes you're life much harder.

JKDMed said:

Although I find it somewhat humorous that whatever school takes off points from your grade for not, "dressing out".

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You can look at it that way, I guess. However, if you're stuck with the person who's got three layers of clothing on and you're trying to palpate the PSIS for sacral dysfunction it makes your life much harder.

Most people in my class go out of their way to help each other, dressing in loose and thin clothing is a small gesture to help out your classmates and it is done consistently. Even if someone was to "dress in three layers" it wouldn't be that big of a deal because you can easily jump to the next table and join in with that pair, sometimes you just have to because someone was sick or whatever anyway. The faculty does not need to make us do these things. We are professionals.

Sounds like I have a lot to look forward to next year.