How easy is it for MD's to become certified in OMM?

[metalmd06]

What's up folks? I currently work for a D.O. in the billing department. I was just filing some paperwork (No-Fault insurance denials) when I came across an IME report. IME's are exams scheduled by the insurance companies so that they may get a second opinion as to whether a patient still needs treatment (basically a way for insurance companies to deny further services). Anyway, this IME report included the physician's CV. This particular doctor is a sports medicine/musculskeletal pain specialist. He went to SUNY Downstate and is a licenced PMR specialist. Under the licensure section of his CV it states he is certified in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. I was wondering how easy it is for an allopathic physician to become certified in OMM?

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[sherruns]

What's up folks? I currently work for a D.O. in the billing department. I was just filing some paperwork (No-Fault insurance denials) when I came across an IME report. IME's are exams scheduled by the insurance companies so that they may get a second opinion as to whether a patient still needs treatment (basically a way for insurance companies to deny further services). Anyway, this IME report included the physician's CV. This particular doctor is a sports medicine/musculskeletal pain specialist. He went to SUNY Downstate and is a licenced PMR specialist. Under the licensure section of his CV it states he is certified in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. I was wondering how easy it is for an allopathic physician to become certified in OMM?

Hi MetalMD06 -- why don't you call him up and ask him? Prolly better info than this motley crew of premeds!! Then let us know what he said.

Hey, we're rallyin' for ya over on the rally thread too!
Take care,
sherruns

 

[metalmd06]

ha ha, thanks sheruns.

I was just wondering if anyone else has heard of this, because I haven't. Considering the amount of training that is necessary to learn OMM in osteopathic medical school, I really don't think it's fair that MDs can just go to a seminar or a 1 year fellowship and all of a sudden they can perform OMM.

 

[DragonWell]

ha ha, thanks sheruns.

I was just wondering if anyone else has heard of this, because I haven't. Considering the amount of training that is necessary to learn OMM in osteopathic medical school, I really don't think it's fair that MDs can just go to a seminar or a 1 year fellowship and all of a sudden they can perform OMM.

You might be surprised at the actual amount of OMM training in osteopathic medical school. The ~200 hours of mandatory training most DOs receive is far less than would be required to become licensed as a massage therapist in many states.

Anyway, one of our professors did a small "study" on this and found that you could teach basic OMM to MDs in about a month.

http://www.stfm.org/fmhub/fm2005/November-December/James693.pdf

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

I agree with the above that OMM could be taught in a month or two if it where an intense course

 

[metalmd06]

Would you say that those who attend osteopathic medical school and are dedicated to their OMM training have more expertise in the field than those who would learn it in a 2 month intensive course? Because otherwise, what is the point of learning OMM for 2 years? Just so you can pass the COMLEX?

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

Would you say that those who attend osteopathic medical school and are dedicated to their OMM training have more expertise in the field than those who would learn it in a 2 month intensive course? Because otherwise, what is the point of learning OMM for 2 years? Just so you can pass the COMLEX?

We usually have 1 lecture and 1 lab per week throughout the year. With alot of theory and other information that isnt incredibly important for diagnosing and treating, It would be needed for teaching, but clinically not that useful, like most of biochem.

 

[DragonWell]

Would you say that those who attend osteopathic medical school and are dedicated to their OMM training have more expertise in the field than those who would learn it in a 2 month intensive course? Because otherwise, what is the point of learning OMM for 2 years? Just so you can pass the COMLEX?

I wouldn't say that, because I think it depends much more on dedication and interest than on duration or type of training. It's like piano lessons; your mom can make you show up each week, but if you don't practice, your skills are not going to improve. Conversely, there are people who only take a couple lessons, learn the basics, and become virtuosos because they practice every chance they get.

The standard OMM training in osteopathic medical school is a token amount. For people who are not interested in it at all, it's probably not enough to irritate them to the point of quitting. For people who are somewhat open to it, it's enough to give them a couple neat tricks that they might be able to apply to a handful of patients with musculoskeletal complaints. For people that are really interested in OMM it gives them a foundation to get more training and become proficient.

... what is the point of learning OMM for 2 years? Just so you can pass the COMLEX?

For many people, yes, that is the point. Much of OMM today is taught more "to the boards" than to clinical practice. You might find this letter from a DO specializing in OMM of interest. A quote from it

Many of my friends and colleagues in the osteopathic medical profession have served as faculty in, and chairs of, departments of OMM or osteopathic principles and practice (OPP) at COMs. Many of them have told me that they are instructed by the administration at their COMs to "teach to the test" (ie, the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination [COMLEXUSA]).

 

[chapstick]

I used to work in an E.R. a while ago with a D.O. I am not quite clear about this, but I think he said that he went to D.O. school but went through some process in order to be regarded as both a D.O and an M.D.

-Almost like having a dual degree by maybe going thru some certification process?

Does anyone know ANYTHING about this. I don't care either way, but I am really really curious. Some people say its possible, others say its ludicrous. Anyone actually know?

 

[BCLumas]

Chapstick.. I wouldn't go down that road to be honest. That kind of thread has been debated tirelessly on these forums and will piss off a large potion of people that read these threads. If you would like to learn more about this, I would search for threads about "MD-DO" degrees and you will find out a lot of information.

Everyone else: please don't flame him or perpetuate the flame. We all know where this CAN go, so let's just let it end here.