How do you dep well in OMM practicals?

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OMM_Sucks_man

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OMS1, just had the fitst OMM practical. Went in feeling confident. Left feeling a little shaken up. Scored well on written, got a 66 on the practical portion. School requires a 70% average on both written and practical components to pass. GAHHH it's eating away at me that I'm technically failing OMM right now.

I was able to do the motions properly but I found myself stumbling over my words when they asked me what I was doing. And at 3 minutes for 1 palpation + finding 5 landmarks I felt pressed for time. What can I do better next time to prepare?

p.s. Title should say "Do"
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Just remember that the rule of the artery is supreme, and u got it. Also just practice more, the more you go through the motions the easier it is.
 
As a potential OMM master (I believe that I might believe therefore I am), I am glad you have chosen to address this deficit early in your training before you attempted cervical HVLA on a Downs pt with rheumatoid arthritis in all three planes. That future is bleak, avoid you must.

Watch your labs three times (including the one you go to) and imitate is my best advice, its hard to get people to practice with you cause they always have something more important till the day before, and the true believers only want to work with professors/fellows (jokes on them I am a master and will give them cranial dysfunctions with my mind for not being my willing pawn, I mean partner). Also stay after lab and ask the fellows, they talk to all the professors and are there to help. Don't worry there is still hope, and if nothing else works:

1w68oi.jpg
 
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kovalchuk71 said:
You really need to practice at least 3x a week, or it won't stick. I got a 96 on my first practical. I didn't practice THAT much, but I'm going to start now that we've gotten into tender points (lol).
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Meh I don't agree with that. If you pay attention in lab and do the techniques 1-2 times outside of lab making sure you can talk through what you're doing you should be fine. I also don't know if I passed my first practical yet (we find out in the morning) so I'll retract that statement if I didn't 😉
 
I think as long as you do the movements a few times before the testing, you should be good.

I think with OMT, 95% of it is being confident. We just had a practical on tenderpoints and freyette's, and you really just have to figure something out and run with it. Confidence is most important I think
 
I did mine yesterday too, maybe we go to the same school...but I did pretty good with very few practice, saved most of my studying for anatomy test. I think you just probably needed better help focusing on what was relevant to study....trust me, I know it's frustrating to not do well, I have a girl in my PBL group who brags about getting an A on everything....did you have someone to try to quiz you on the material before you went in?
 
Kkshake said:
I did mine yesterday too, maybe we go to the same school...but I did pretty good with very few practice, saved most of my studying for anatomy test. I think you just probably needed better help focusing on what was relevant to study....trust me, I know it's frustrating to not do well, I have a girl in my PBL group who brags about getting an A on everything....did you have someone to try to quiz you on the material before you went in?
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>>pbl group + anatomy exam (friday?)

Most definitely we go to the same school haha. I scored well on the written, and just read through the soft tissue slides/ lab slides to prep for the practical. I had an idea of where to find the landmarks on myself, but I def don't think I practiced as much as I should have. I guess I'll try and find someone to work with for the next one. Chin up and head forward!
 
Your first practical, you didn't know what you were doing or what they were looking for. You know now, you will get better as you do it more.

And confidence really is key. You don't have to actually practice, you have to portray that you practiced and that this class is important. When you sweep the spine quickly, hone in on an area, push around for 8-10 seconds, and confidently say T5 is flexed, rotated and side bent right, and then you step back for them to check, it makes them think that you do this so often that you know you are right. In med school, that method never ever did me wrong.
 
FrkyBgStok said:
You don't have to actually practice, you have to portray that you practiced
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This x100. Just walk in like a G, piddle around and then confidently describe what you are doing, back away and let them feel (if you're confident they assume you are right), and then walk out like a G careful to not trip on the mic you dropped.
 
kovalchuk71 said:
Eh, it's not that way at my school. You can't really "fake it till you make it", so I have to practice. It's frustrating and takes time away from my other classes, but it is what it is. They take OMT way too seriously.

Practice wasn't so important when we were doing basic thoracic/lumbar MFR and Soft tissue, but when you get to Tender Points and E/FSART, E/FSARA, E/FSTRA, and having to look at 90+ tender points, things get really complicated really quick.

I'm over OMT already.
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You're already doing Muscle Energy a month into first year? Damn... LOL
 
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kovalchuk71 said:
Eh, it's not that way at my school. You can't really "fake it till you make it", so I have to practice. It's frustrating and takes time away from my other classes, but it is what it is. They take OMT way too seriously.

Practice wasn't so important when we were doing basic thoracic/lumbar MFR and Soft tissue, but when you get to Tender Points and E/FSART, E/FSARA, E/FSTRA, and having to look at 90+ tender points, things get really complicated really quick.

I'm over OMT already.
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Yep, been saying this for a long time. Schools are different. My school isn't as hard core as yours, but they are just as anally retentive. However, I don't really need to practice 3x a week. I cram it maybe a week in advance with an actual partner.
 
Wanted to give a f/u to some advice I gave earlier!

DO NOT VERBALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING! You are more likely to say something improperly and perform the action properly. Thus get dinged points for no reason. At my school, the examiner will ask you questions if they are unsure what you are doing.

Signed, ignorant OMS-1
 
getfat said:
Had my first ME lecture last week. It seems pretty normal to introduce ME around the first month. Its not like we do any more ROM screenings.
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ME is really easy. It's all about resisting the pt contraction when he/she is breathing in in order to maintain that isometric contraction and to further stretch that muscle when they're breathing out.
 
getfat said:
Wanted to give a f/u to some advice I gave earlier!

DO NOT VERBALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING! You are more likely to say something improperly and perform the action properly. Thus get dinged points for no reason. At my school, the examiner will ask you questions if they are unsure what you are doing.

Signed, ignorant OMS-1
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Eh we have to, so it just depends on the school
 
getfat said:
Wanted to give a f/u to some advice I gave earlier!

DO NOT VERBALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING! You are more likely to say something improperly and perform the action properly. Thus get dinged points for no reason. At my school, the examiner will ask you questions if they are unsure what you are doing.

Signed, ignorant OMS-1
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No you just need to learn to say the right things. Instead of giving the diagnosis, you say the findings. I.e. restricted in extenstion, better in flexion. Thus even when you say the wrong diagnosis d/t anxiety, they will already be forming the right diagnosis in their mind, because you gave them the question instead of the answer.

When you do treatments, never talk about putting pts in 'flexed rotated sidebent right' but rather say things like: ME is a direct treatment, so I am gonna put them into the barrier. Only specify what that is if they ask, and even then, consider writing it out if you have too (OMM practicals don't have a time limit at my school so go for it).

So summary: Give findings not diagnosis, tell them concepts rather than specifics. Specifics do get you in trouble, but when you say things like 'into the barrier' 'active' or inactive' they know you get the concept and will *usually* not pay as much attention to the positioning. Just make sure if you say your putting into the barrier, you go into what you said was restricted (i.e. the 1st thing that you 'found').
 
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getfat said:
Wanted to give a f/u to some advice I gave earlier!

DO NOT VERBALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING! You are more likely to say something improperly and perform the action properly. Thus get dinged points for no reason. At my school, the examiner will ask you questions if they are unsure what you are doing.

Signed, ignorant OMS-1
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Don't worry about it. You will get better at playing the game. I usually get my screening and Dx done in about 6-7 mins and my two treatments done in about 5-6 mins. When I was in your shoes last year, I was stressing about how the hell I'm going to get everything done in about 14 mins. To be honest, you don't even need to practice a lot in order to be decent at OMM practicals. Before every practical, I would print out the grading guideline of all the requirements. Then, I would be in a room by myself and visualize myself running through the screening w/ verbalizing stuff to the grader with everything timed. This method hasn't failed me once. Don't stress yourself out too much unless you're that person who's hovering around the 70 mark. That just means that you aren't naturally decent at this stuff and will just need a little bit more practice than the rest of your peers.
 
68PGunner said:
Don't worry about it. You will get better at playing the game. I usually get my screening and Dx done in about 6-7 mins and my two treatments done in about 5-6 mins. When I was in your shoes last year, I was stressing about how the hell I'm going to get everything done in about 14 mins. To be honest, you don't even need to practice a lot in order to be decent at OMM practicals. Before every practical, I would print out the grading guideline of all the requirements. Then, I would be in a room by myself and visualize myself running through the screening w/ verbalizing stuff to the grader with everything timed. This method hasn't failed me once. Don't stress yourself out too much unless you're that person who's hovering around the 70 mark. That just means that you aren't naturally decent at this stuff and will just need a little bit more practice than the rest of your peers.
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Man you gunners never sleep! Agree completely tho, some people need more practice.

I did after my time off, and so I started doing a Savarese deck from one of the upperclassmen. 4 cards a day, and has greatly increased my OMT knowledge (conceptual). For something that takes me less than 15 minutes usually and means I won't have to cram for practicals/boards, I think its well worth while.
 
AnatomyGrey12 said:
Eh we have to, so it just depends on the school
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Do you specifically state how you are moving the pt or palpating or do you just stick to concept as @BorntobeDO? suggested. During our practice test with OMM scholars I was very specific about palpating non-landmarks (like "palpating C4") and they really didn't like that because a) I'm probably wrong b) if I'm wrong they will call me out about it and that will get me off my flow.
 
getfat said:
Do you specifically state how you are moving the pt or palpating or do you just stick to concept as @BorntobeDO? suggested. During our practice test with OMM scholars I was very specific about palpating non-landmarks (like "palpating C4") and they really didn't like that because a) I'm probably wrong b) if I'm wrong they will call me out about it and that will get me off my flow.
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You can always get more specific later, you can't take back something wrong...
 
BorntobeDO? said:
No you just need to learn to say the right things. Instead of giving the diagnosis, you say the findings. I.e. restricted in extenstion, better in flexion. Thus even when you say the wrong diagnosis d/t anxiety, they will already be forming the right diagnosis in their mind, because you gave them the question instead of the answer.

When you do treatments, never talk about putting pts in 'flexed rotated sidebent right' but rather say things like: ME is a direct treatment, so I am gonna put them into the barrier. Only specify what that is if they ask, and even then, consider writing it out if you have too (OMM practicals don't have a time limit at my school so go for it).

So summary: Give findings not diagnosis, tell them concepts rather than specifics. Specifics do get you in trouble, but when you say things like 'into the barrier' 'active' or inactive' they know you get the concept and will *usually* not pay as much attention to the positioning. Just make sure if you say your putting into the barrier, you go into what you said was restricted (i.e. the 1st thing that you 'found').
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My class is graded on the diagnosis at my school, which is why the 'fake it till you make it' is worthless SDN advice to some...
 
68PGunner said:
How much pts do you lose for giving the wrong diagnosis?
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I'm not sure exactly and I don't think a lot of my classmate know. I think we are docked off 3-5% on anything wrong with our technique or diagnosis. For instance if I get T6FRRSR and its actually T6ERRSR, then you may loose around 3%.

The reality is a lot of it depends your proctor also. I had my grade go from 70s to 90s out of a 100 depending on who's grading. So who know really.
 
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I got a 100 on the first practical and I only studied the morning before, besides a little studying before each lab. This stuff isn't that hard, you just gotta say all the random things you know they want you to say, use all the medical verbs they use in class consistently (don't say I'm going to touch the transverse process of t5 now say i'm going to palpate it. Don't say here we have the inferior angle of the scapula, say here we can appreciate the inferior angle of the scapula, which is this bony protuberance. Etc. Talk like a doctor). If you can't feel or see anything, just make it up. The voodoo is strong in some of this stuff anyway.
 
pseud0 said:
I got a 100 on the first practical and I only studied the morning before, besides a little studying before each lab. This stuff isn't that hard, you just gotta say all the random things you know they want you to say, use all the medical verbs they use in class consistently (don't say I'm going to touch the transverse process of t5 now say i'm going to palpate it. Don't say here we have the inferior angle of the scapula, say here we can appreciate the inferior angle of the scapula, which is this bony protuberance. Etc. Talk like a doctor). If you can't feel or see anything, just make it up. The voodoo is strong in some of this stuff anyway.
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ROFL... It sounds like you're still in Anatomy. Anatomy is the most overrated class in med school where noobs get all hot and excited for, thinking that this will established the baseline of their status quo among their respective class. What you guys don't realize until the very near end is that Anatomy itself is a small component of board.

I do really well on practicals and I personally don't speak like that. I would just said that inferior angle of right scapula is inferior/superior to inferior angle of left scapula and move on. So, let's say that the somatic dysfunction is L4FRRSR:

I would sweep through L1-L4, indicating to the grader that there seems to be slight RR from L3-L4 with the L4 being the worst. With my hand monitoring the pt L4, I have him/her to full extension and full flexion. I notice that the somatic dysfunction gets better w/ flexion. Since it's just one segment, we can assume type 2, giving me the Dx of L4RRSR. Takes me less than 1 min.
 
xD well my school emphasizes anatomy a lot w omm and they make you identify important landmarks at the beginning of each practical before doing anything. I am well aware that anatomy is barely on the boards.

The way you have to do the practicals is obviously different at every school. If all I did was go to the diagnosis like you did, I would lose points. They make us do a physical inspection, followed by palpating important landmarks relevant to the case, and then do motion testing of the relevant structures. THEN the diagnosis/testing.
 
pseud0 said:
xD well my school emphasizes anatomy a lot w omm and they make you identify important landmarks at the beginning of each practical before doing anything. I am well aware that anatomy is barely on the boards.

The way you have to do the practicals is obviously different at every school. If all I did was go to the diagnosis like you did, I would lose points. They make us do a physical inspection, followed by palpating important landmarks relevant to the case, and then do motion testing of the relevant structures. THEN the diagnosis/testing.
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Yeah, I also do all of that. Get a printout of the grader sheet. I'm 100% positive that there isn't a category where it says that the inferior angle of the scapula is this bony protuberance etc... You know your stuff. You have to act like it. I'm very positive that the grader won't ask you how do you know that this is the single angle of the scapula.

For example, in term of gait assessing as part of the physical inspection while the pt is WALKING back and forth, I would say:

"Good stride length. Cadence is rhythmic. Arm swing is restricted on left side. Not noticing any out-toeing or in-toeting. Slight pronation when walking."

In term of overall posture, I would say:

"Lat malleolus is anterior to greater trochanter, greater broacher is inferior to acromion, acromion is in line w/ EAM, giving an overall balance posture."

Notice the non-bs approach cutting straight to the meat.

No grader has complained to me about my method. Not a single person throughout first year. Always 95+% on my inspection and Dx portion of my practical.
 
damn Gunner relax dude I wasn't criticizing you.... All my original post meant was that you should try and sound like you know what you're talking about by using jargon wherever possible..since confidence is key in this. The scapula was just the first example of throwaway jargon that popped into my mind lol
 
Gunner is getting anxious because he hasn’t hit his 12 hour study mark today 😉. Seriously though anatomy and OMM are not bad so long as you keep up with them.
 
We just took our second practical yesterday and today -- Muscle Energy and HVLA for Thoracic and Lumbar. Surprised you guys aren't learning them together b/c with both you need to take pt.'s to the bind and just perform different motions.

I don't know about other schools, but we have the Nicholas Bros. They wrote their own book AND have accompanied videos showing each motion step-by-step. Watching the videos + studying lectures to understand the concept is basically all I need. I practice it a few times and I'm good. OMM labs though are such a waste, like it's good if you keep up and do it then but it can just as easily be done on your own time.
 
MADD!!! said:
We just took our second practical yesterday and today -- Muscle Energy and HVLA for Thoracic and Lumbar. Surprised you guys aren't learning them together b/c with both you need to take pt.'s to the bind and just perform different motions.

I don't know about other schools, but we have the Nicholas Bros. They wrote their own book AND have accompanied videos showing each motion step-by-step. Watching the videos + studying lectures to understand the concept is basically all I need. I practice it a few times and I'm good. OMM labs though are such a waste, like it's good if you keep up and do it then but it can just as easily be done on your own time.
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You have Nic and Nic? Man I am jealous a bit. We use their text (i.e. our professors use their text for powerpoints). I like it.
 
Just keep faking it. Don't practice 3x week like these gunners are telling you so that you fail the important classes. Act like a ******* that's all nervous on the practical and then you'll get the pity of the grader and you'll pass. I know this because friend told me ;-)
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
Just keep faking it. Don't practice 3x week like these gunners are telling you so that you fail the important classes. Act like a ******* that's all nervous on the practical and then you'll get the pity of the grader and you'll pass. I know this because friend told me ;-)
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As someone who gives zero Fs about this class nowadays, I approve of this msg.

I will definitely give the anxiety fake a try for our upcoming practical in 3 weeks and will report back on the results.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
Just keep faking it. Don't practice 3x week like these gunners are telling you so that you fail the important classes. Act like a ******* that's all nervous on the practical and then you'll get the pity of the grader and you'll pass. I know this because friend told me ;-)
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I’ll take the “gunner” comment as a compliment 😉
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
Just keep faking it. Don't practice 3x week like these gunners are telling you so that you fail the important classes. Act like a ******* that's all nervous on the practical and then you'll get the pity of the grader and you'll pass. I know this because friend told me ;-)
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After talking to my fellows today about the upcoming practical, I believe all who try this at my school will be failed and forced to remediate their practical who do this (at least 2nd year, prob works 1st). They are talking about failing people who know the 'talk' only, which would be a departure from prior times. On the one hand the expectation is clear, on the other, not everyone is actually good at OMT.
 
Loll at my school it's mainly about "the talk." Our OMM teachers openly say their main purpose is to teach us for COMLEX.
 
BorntobeDO? said:
After talking to my fellows today about the upcoming practical, I believe all who try this at my school will be failed and forced to remediate their practical who do this (at least 2nd year, prob works 1st). They are talking about failing people who know the 'talk' only, which would be a departure from prior times. On the one hand the expectation is clear, on the other, not everyone is actually good at OMT.
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Too bad for them then. Glad it worked while I was there.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
Just keep faking it. Don't practice 3x week like these gunners are telling you so that you fail the important classes. Act like a ******* that's all nervous on the practical and then you'll get the pity of the grader and you'll pass. I know this because friend told me ;-)
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Depends on the grader. Some you need confidence, and other the anxiety play works wonders. I know this because I was anxious and got my lowest OMM practical score ever and with other proctors my highest. Its more of a mixed bag than people make it out to be on here.
 
IslandStyle808 said:
Depends on the grader. Some you need confidence, and other the anxiety play works wonders. I know this because I was anxious and got my lowest OMM practical score ever and with other proctors my highest. Its more of a mixed bag than people make it out to be on here.
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I think it truly depends more on the grader than what the student does
 
Kkshake said:
I think it truly depends more on the grader than what the student does
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Yep, there is always at least one professor who is notorious for disagreeing with everyone's diagnosis and dumping on them. Just take (hopefully) your C and move on. At least the main guy is cool at my program, I think I could appeal a practical with him and be alright.
 
My school teaches OMT well so I don't get bored during OMT classes. We actually have cool OMM professors.

For practical, I practiced with my friend before the exam. We just finish our first practical with Spencer MET and first three Counterstrain techniques (Rhomboid, supraspinatous, and Levator Scapulae). At my school, you have to verbalized everything and be accurated as faculties and fellows know what they are checking.
But just practice until you have general idea of how to perform the technique in mind.
 
Just hang in there till MSIV and then you can forget OMM lol
 
BorntobeDO? said:
Yep, there is always at least one professor who is notorious for disagreeing with everyone's diagnosis and dumping on them. Just take (hopefully) your C and move on. At least the main guy is cool at my program, I think I could appeal a practical with him and be alright.
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We have a single professor like that. The real problem is that if you get below an 80 at any station you have to come back at another time and redo it, but you keep your original grade. It's a huge time sink and problem all based on who happens to grade your practical.
 
Neopolymath said:
We have a single professor like that. The real problem is that if you get below an 80 at any station you have to come back at another time and redo it, but you keep your original grade. It's a huge time sink and problem all based on who happens to grade your practical.
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I think OMM practicals should be pass/fail, but baring that, at least have the ability to appeal to the main course director to rewatch your round. I am not a fan of professors who are antagonist towards students cause they think everyone is goofing off. Make OMM more enjoyable and more people would do it.
 
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