Future of Osteopathic Research

[Ohiobuddhist]

For all those DO/PhD hopefuls, students, grads out there, I was wondering what you think the future of DO research should be. Should DO school researchers focus primarily on substantiating OMM techniques or integrate this type of research into more "mainstream" medical research? Perhaps a follow-up question, then is, what do you think will actually happen? I, personally, am optimistic about the future of osteopathic research, but what do you all think?

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[turtleboard]

As an allopathic student I think the future of osteopathic research needs to focus FIRST on producing evidence that unequivocally supports OMT and the use of it in treating a wide range of issues. The next target should be researching the "osteopathic approach" to health and healing and showing that it is clinically significant and not a bunch of mantras thrown about the profession to "distinguish" itself from the allopathic profession.

I am of the opinion that much needs to be done within the profession itself in order to allow it to grow and prosper. I think the DO profession is currently in a standstill of sorts. The heads of the profession are content that DOs have practice rights throughout the United States and a system of 19 undergraduate osteopathic medical colleges. The heads of the AOA don't seem to be particularly concerned that their graduates increasingly seek training at institutions NOT sponsored by them. The AOA and the profession as a whole needs to become self-sufficient. The AOA should have a system of postgraduate training opportunities in osteopathic institutions that can train each and every one of the 2,500 or so osteopathic graduates every year.

Until the AOA considers in any serious manner the future of the profession and how to get there, the osteopathic physicians will grow along the same pace as their allopathic colleagues and become increasingly indistinguishable from MDs.

 

[gasrx]

I second that. All of medicine is now evidence based, except OMT. Osteopathic institutions and the AOA must demonstrate evidence based medicine with the use of OMT and publish the studies in respected peer reviewed journals not the 'DO' or 'jAOA'. Like everything else in science this is the only way to get people to believe in what your doing and to achieve some respect among our allopathic brotherns.

 

[algae]

I know this is not clinical research, but at one of my interviews I was told that a recent study showed that doctors who use OMT are less likely to be sued for malpractice than those who do not. I thought this was interesting, but if this is statistically significant relationship, there could be several different explanations...

 

[gasrx]

This is exactly what I mean. Everything is hear say and testimonials. This is what I experienced at my medical school. But thank goodness science is not based on hear say and testimonials.

 

[Hedwig]

Remember,

The NIH is opening up an osteopathic research center at the University of North Texas North Health Science Center. The entire purpose of this place is to independently verify what OMM techniques actually work because they actually work and what OMM techniques work because people simply believe they do.

Granted, the AOA is an obstacle when it comes to substantiating OMM. However, this new federal osteopathic research center is going to create the defining moment in the history of OMT, for better or worse. And the AOA aside, believe me when I tell you that the need for objective research is NOT lost upon the administrators of the 19 (and soon the 20th) colleges of osteopathic medicine.

 

[drewdo]

In response to Turtleboard...
Dr. Zini, current president of the AOA, spoke at our school a few months ago and stated that one of his main objectives during his term is to increase the quality and quantity of postgraduate training for osteopathic students. As Turtleboard stated, this is a significant weakness in the training of osteopathic physicians, but the heads of the AOA do agree that this should be addressed.

Also, I believe there is current reliable evidence that a significant determinant in lawsuits brought against physicians is general likability of the physician as judged by the patient. In other words, the better liked by your patient, the less likely that patient will sue you. Perhaps that is why docs that use OMT have fewer lawsuits brought against them - most patients like to be touched in a healing manner.

 

[David511]

I agree that more needs to be done in regards to Osteopathic research; however, I disagree with Tim's comment that the DO profession is "at a standstill".

I read recently that the new school in Virginia is opening with an estimated $50 MM allocated for research...that's a sizable amount of research cash for a med school, regardless of its roots.

As I see it, the Osteopathic profession is not at a standstill; rather it's at a turningpoint of sorts. The AOA has achieved one of its primary goals: unmitigated recognition of the DO degree across the 50 states. Now the new goals are being established, and as Dr. Zini has widely asserted, one of these new goals is to forward Osteopathic research.

We're moving forward. All we need is to reach that level of 'critical mass' in terms of research funding.