How is OMM at your school??

[Vancomycin12]

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I ask this bc most of my class is really disappointed with the way our OMM department is ran. It is VERY difficult and consumes A LOT of time per week to begin. We have extremely difficult tests and precise practicals that are designed to screw you in every possible way. I want to know how every other school handles OMM. Is it laidback? Impossible? Fun?

It is as if our professors are purposely trying to discourage anyone from pursuing OMM as a possible career. Which seems pretty backwards if you ask me....

Anyways, so what's it like at other schools?

 

[flight24]

I ask this bc most of my class is really disappointed with the way our OMM department is ran. It is VERY difficult and consumes A LOT of time per week to begin. We have extremely difficult tests and precise practicals that are designed to screw you in every possible way. I want to know how every other school handles OMM. Is it laidback? Impossible? Fun?

It is as if our professors are purposely trying to discourage anyone from pursuing OMM as a possible career. Which seems pretty backwards if you ask me....

Anyways, so what's it like at other schools?

Which school do you attend?

 

[Vancomycin12]

Which school do you attend?

I knew someone would ask me that...I can't disclose! Maybe after I hear what some other people say first

 

[fiznat]

Here at DCOM we average 1 hour of lecture and 2 hours of lab per week in OMM. The 2 hour labs can really drag on sometimes but it's just once a week so most of us can deal with it. I think the instructors try to make it fun and interesting-- sometimes they succeed and sometimes they don't haha.

Exam-wise, we get 4 written exams and 3 or 4 practicals per semester. The written exams are sometimes a little tricky because of the way questions are worded, but I think they are generally pretty fair. Everyone sweats the practical exams when they are approaching, but usually the consensus once they're over is that they weren't too bad. It's only been once or twice I've been docked points for something I thought was unfair ("didn't isolate the segment" or something like that). It isn't my favorite class I'll say that, but I don't think the class is unfair in any way.

 

[seap3]

It's pretty laid back at DMU. We have 1 hr lecture & 1.5 hrs lab each week. 2 written & 4 practicals each year. Faculty is very helpful & seems to want you to enjoy OMM. I agree that before each practical it is stessful, but then afterwards it wasn't really that bad & the class averages have been above 90%.

 

[Postal]

I think OMM at UMDNJ-SOM is pretty lite. Our first written test was pretty easy, the average was a 91%. Our second test last semester was much more difficult and the class averaged dipped. On average we have a one hour lecture and lab for one hour every other week or so.

The faculty here is happy to help you if you approach them.

I think our OMM is pretty fair and certainly not as hard core as it could be.

Sorry you don't seem to be enjoying OMM at your school

 

[joeDO2]

@LECOM-B it is 2 hrs lecture and 2 hrs lab per week. professor that teaches it is pretty good and is laid back when it comes to testing. lots of powerpoint slides so you can learn a lot but also less pressure if you need to study for other subjects at the same time.

 

[docnotsopc]

At my school, way too much time is wasted in OMM lectures each week. We have a four hour block of lecture weekly. SO much time is wasted when the material could be taught in at least half the time. This is evident every weekend before an exam when students can easily cram a semesters worth of material.

The actual physical exams are fairly easy, however the written exams are very tough in my opinion

 

[docnotsopc]

I think OMM at UMDNJ-SOM is pretty lite. Our first written test was pretty easy, the average was a 91%. Our second test last semester was much more difficult and the class averaged dipped. On average we have a one hour lecture and lab for one hour every other week or so.

The faculty here is happy to help you if you approach them.

I think our OMM is pretty fair and certainly not as hard core as it could be.

Sorry you don't seem to be enjoying OMM at your school

always thought you meant to Touro-NY haha not sure why.

I am extremely jealous of your light OMM, i wish i had two hours a week instead of four

 

[Vancomycin12]

I really can't imagine a school worse than ours. If you only knew what we had to do you would laugh.

 

[Postal]

always thought you meant to Touro-NY haha not sure why.

I am extremely jealous of your light OMM, i wish i had two hours a week instead of four

yeah, I almost went to Touro and I was a heavy poster in the Touro threads, so it's understandable.

I like OMM, but am also extremely happy that our school doesn't emphasize it as much as others. Only thing is I sometimes feel like I'm not learning it enough because I spend so little time on it. 1 hour lab is not enough time to learn 1 or more techniques. And I rarely spend time outside of class learning it unless there's an exam approaching.

I really can't imagine a school worse than ours. If you only knew what we had to do you would laugh.

I am really interested to hear how you guys do it.

 

[nardini46]

At TCOM we have 2hr/week of OMM lecture and 2hr/week of OMM lab. We typically have an OMM written exam every 4-6 weeks along with a clinical competency skills test. It can get really nerve racking because we are expected to learn and master OMM skills along with our basic science curriculum. However I am sure that this is the case with all DO schools. OMM certainly does feel like it gets in the way but I wouldn't say that it is a complete waste. I feel very comfortable touching patients and I feel like I have really built up strong palpatory skills. The written tests sometimes ask questions over ridiculous minutia and we are expected to read chapters of material only to be quizzed over the assignment the night before. Either way I have accepted the way OMM is taught. I study the lecture material to the best of my ability and that often leads me to a decent score.

Overall I give it a 7.5/10.
Suggestions: Test over material that is actually covered in your lecture powerpoints and test on broad concepts. Agree on a standard on how to perform certain OMM techniques because certain OMM professors perform OMM techniques differently.

 

[ManBroDude]

I really can't imagine a school worse than ours. If you only knew what we had to do you would laugh.

Why don't you PM someone random and have them put up what you say as if they went there? You know, anonymously?

 

[Superman DO]

At KCOM, we have 4 hours of lab/lecture per week. That staff is really really good, and I feel like we really learn our OMM. I think it is the right amout of hours per week for the first year and a half of medical school; however, late into second year, I feel that they have taught us all we need to know at this point. We need the extra time to concentrate on boards, and I definitely think 4 hrs/week of OMM interferes with board studying during the last part of second year.

 

[Vancomycin12]

We have 1-3hrs of lecture per week (usually 1-2 avg) followed by 1.5hrs of lab each wk. The professor teaches us ~5-6 ME or HVLA techniques in any given lab. We practice for about 10min each technique before moving on. We also have a detailed quiz at the beginning of every lab from the week prior's lecture material. You have to study that material like you have a test bc the quiz questions are difficult and designed to trick you.

The test are pretty difficult. Most people fail, but it def requires a good 7-10hrs of studying to do well on these things. I do feel that they are hard as heck but I honestly can't imagine any board question harder than our test questions. This is def a plus...

The practicals are pretty extreme. We are supposed to keep up with our techniques and twice a term we have practicals. We have to dress up and where white coats. We have a SPECIFIC set of directions for each technique. If you mess up one of the 10ish steps, then you lose points all over the place. For example -- table height too low/high? -15pts before you even start. We also have stations in which we walk in and diagnose segmentally. This is after our professor checks the pt before we walk in. Needless to say, pretty much everyone fails this station (and im talkin a failure as in like a 20/100). It is graded as if we are residents.

The overall atmosphere is a little, no wait, VERY condescending in which they try to intimidate the students at all times. This is why nobody in my class enjoys omm. It could be fun, but the faculty makes us dread going to class/lab every week. It also gets in the way a large amount during exams. We always seem to have a giant test on the same day as omm practical/test. Not fun

 

[teacherman84]

we have 1-3hrs of lecture per week (usually 1-2 avg) followed by 1.5hrs of lab each wk. The professor teaches us ~5-6 me or hvla techniques in any given lab. We practice for about 10min each technique before moving on. We also have a detailed quiz at the beginning of every lab from the week prior's lecture material. You have to study that material like you have a test bc the quiz questions are difficult and designed to trick you.
Quizzes arent fun but they get you ready for the test if you take them seriously and then youre not cramming so much when the test comes on the same day as a CMBM test

The test are pretty difficult. Most people fail, but it def requires a good 7-10hrs of studying to do well on these things. I do feel that they are hard as heck but i honestly can't imagine any board question harder than our test questions. This is def a plus... Most people fail? Maybe on one or two tests of the 6 and youve had the easiest ones so far...just wait

The practicals are pretty extreme. We are supposed to keep up with our techniques and twice a term we have practicals. We have to dress up and where white coats. We have a specific set of directions for each technique. If you mess up one of the 10ish steps, then you lose points all over the place. For example -- table height too low/high? -15pts before you even start. We also have stations in which we walk in and diagnose segmentally. This is after our professor checks the pt before we walk in. Needless to say, pretty much everyone fails this station (and im talkin a failure as in like a 20/100). It is graded as if we are residents.
Disagree, we have very different definitions of extreme. Even if Dx stations are rough the other stations are fair enough to keep your average up.

The overall atmosphere is a little, no wait, very condescending in which they try to intimidate the students at all times. This is why nobody in my class enjoys omm. It could be fun, but the faculty makes us dread going to class/lab every week. It also gets in the way a large amount during exams. We always seem to have a giant test on the same day as omm practical/test. Not fun

ga-pcom, right? It is tough and i agree with a some of what is said here but i think youre being a little dramatic and way too paranoid. Its harder than most other schools yes, but very few people "dread" lab if any, and those are usually the people who just dont like OMM to begin with. Yes OMM exams are tough, maybe a little too tough, but we tend to do well on the OMM section of COMLEX (which is a big part of the test).

Sorry youre so miserable, hang in there, do your best, get a tutor if youre failing.

 

[Vancomycin12]

I'm actually doing really well in the class, but mostly it is out of spite. I have been forcing myself to stay at the top so that I have a good grasp come board time. I also can't imagine feeling even the slightest bit un-prepared for boards with the way we do things. However, I am more pissed about, as I said prior, how the professors handle things. Especially, the practicals. It is beyond stupid in my opinion to have such a demoralizing practical and condescending attitude the entire time. and as I said before, this is why most people (I have yet to hear someone say they enjoy it) dislike it

 

[teacherman84]

I'm actually doing really well in the class, but mostly it is out of spite. I have been forcing myself to stay at the top so that I have a good grasp come board time. I also can't imagine feeling even the slightest bit un-prepared for boards with the way we do things. However, I am more pissed about, as I said prior, how the professors handle things. Especially, the practicals. It is beyond stupid in my opinion to have such a demoralizing practical and condescending attitude the entire time. and as I said before, this is why most people (I have yet to hear someone say they enjoy it) dislike it

Maybe they are treating you guys differently (though I doubt it) but while practicals are stressful at times, they are far from demoralizing. They want to see that you understand the material and are confident performing the techniques. Ask them any time outside of test week how to correctly do a technique and you'll be taught, not talked down to or demoralized. By practical time you should know what you're doing and they expect that much.

Yes its not fun, but its probably one of the best put together courses in this place and you will experience much more demoralizing people with condescending attitudes beyond these walls.