How much OMM a week?

[JeetKuneDo]

I'm curious as to how much each DO school dedicates to OMM a week.

For instance, at my school we're 1 hour lecture, 2 hours lab.

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[TheOncoDOc]

4 hours a week here at WesternU/COMP. I feel that COMP has invested way too much into the OMM department...

 

[seap3]

usually 1 hr lecture, 1 1/2 hrs lab

 

[Ghost22]

1-2hr lecture, 2hrs lab. The course doesn't run the entire semester. Usually there's a week or two at the start and at the end of the semester where we don't have it.

 

[DrMaximus]

One hour of lecture and one and a half hour labs.

 

[SLC]

2-4 hours depending on the topic at hand that week.

 

[Mbeas]

4 hours total per week (combined lecture/lab)

 

[Charlie Hustle]

4 hours total per week (combined lecture/lab)

Same here. Lecture for 15-20 minutes, practice corresponding technique(s), rinse and repeat.

 

[TheOncoDOc]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

 

[Leonardo Noto]

I also felt that 4hrs of OMM/wk was too much when I was a medical student and I blew it off b/c of it. This was not helped by the fact that I was an allopathic transfer (for personal reasons) and wasn't too keen on OMM to begin with. However, now that I have been in practice for a few years I really regret this outlook b/c when I was in the Army I had people asking me to do manipulation for them all the time. Granted, the Army is a very physical environment and a different patient population than you will have anywhere else; however, with that said, you will feel like a complete idiot the first time a patient says "oh, you're a DO!" and asks you for OMM if you're not at least marginally competent. I had to review a lot of things that I should have learned the first time and I really regretted not having taken a little more interest in the OMM classes that my school provided, which as a whole were very high yield.

Dr. Leonardo Noto (physician-turned-author)
www.leonardonoto.com or follow me on Twitter @DrLeonardoNoto

 

[Wolverines83]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

Eh, I felt the same way first time too. I kept thinking "WTF are you talking about, I feel a bunch of crap, that's it!" You're not actually feeling the bone, you're feeling the "hard thing under the muscle." You'll figure it out. Don't be afraid to dig!

Dorsal part of your hand...yup, more sensitive. Ask your mom!

 

[MRSAful Fate]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

You'll get used to it. Most people don't have anything going on and you're forced to diagnose them, creating all sorts of pretending. You just have to hope that your fellow pretends along with you

The temp thing is totally whack. So are a lot more things about OMM, you are definitely not alone. But there are some things that you will at the very least use on a friend/significant other.

 

[DrWily]

4 hour block dedicated to it every Wed but so far, we haven't used all 4 hours. Been getting out 1.5 hrs early.

1 hour lecture, plus lab (3 hours).

 

[dntke1518]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

We do the same thing, temp thing is so so (I feel like I look like a wizard enchanting my patient or whatever), feeling transverse processes is almost no existent for me. I doc that was a table helper showed me trick that if you find the spinous process, you can pretty much guess where the transverse process is and push on it to confirm its location, it will cause your spinous process to shift... works for me from time to time.

Also, I don't really feel much in the way of side bending.

 

[docnotsopc]

4 hours a week here at WesternU/COMP. I feel that COMP has invested way too much into the OMM department...

👍 Ohhhhh ya

Easily could be condensed into 1-2 hours

 

[Ghost22]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

It gets easier. Just go with your gut. If you think you feel something you probably do.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

You're definitely not the only one who's felt this way. OMM is tough, and it takes a long time to develop good diagnostic skills. Others have mentioned this, but you'll have an easier time once you're treating someone who actually has significant dysfunction rather than your 24 year old lab partner who is in the best shape of his/her life.

When you're palpating the transverse processes, you're not actually feeling the TPs directly (there's stuff in the way!). You'll get better at being able to palpate at various depths so that you can get some useful information and treat your patient. As for the temperature thing, I'm not sure if I'm 100% sold on the whole dorsum of the hand approach, but if it works for you and it helps you treat the patient then go for it.

The first couple of weeks of OMM suck, to put it bluntly. Once you start learning different treatments and get to actually make people feel better, you'll enjoy it a lot more. If you decide it's just not your thing and that you'll never use it once you're out on your own, that's cool. But you owe it to yourself and your patients to give it a shot. Ask your professors, fellows, guest lecturers, and classmates questions when things don't make sense. Question the logic behind every technique you learn. Be inquisitive and innovative. If what you're doing doesn't make sense and you're just going through the motions, that means you don't understand it and you could potentially harm your patient.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

So what are all of your impressions of OMM thus far? Honestly I came in with an open mind but after this past OMM session I don't know what to think. I mean they had us digging through the erector spinae muscles to feel for the transverse processes and I couldn't feel jack or whatever it was the fellows were supposedly feeling. Also, feeling for body temperature using the dorsal part of your hand!? I hope I'm not the only one feeling this way...

So far I'm indifferent to OMM. I am not shunning it all together, but I also will not drink the kool aid just yet. I'm also finding difficulties trying to palpate a transverse process or attempting to translate a thoracic vertebrae. Best part of OMM though is after lab. All the docs and fellows will crack your neck and back for free.

 

[DrMaximus]

So far I'm indifferent to OMM. I am not shunning it all together, but I also will not drink the kool aid just yet. I'm also finding difficulties trying to palpate a transverse process or attempting to translate a thoracic vertebrae. Best part of OMM though is after lab. All the docs and fellows will crack your neck and back for free.

This. 👍

And I actually like the part of OMM we're doing now. I couldn't feel it at first at all but I actually can now. At least I think I can... 🙄

But I feel like as long as you're confident and make a call, the tests aren't bad. Now ask me again how I like it when we get to cranial and I promise you'll get a different answer. 😀

 

[n3xa]

I ended up grazing the skin of my lab partner with the dorsum of my hand during lab this week.

 

[munchymanRX]

3 hours a week (1 lecture, 2 lab) during second year.

2.5 hours a week (1 lecture every other week, 2 hours lab every week) during first year.

 

[MakesSense]

I'm curious as to how much each DO school dedicates to OMM a week.

For instance, at my school we're 1 hour lecture, 2 hours lab.

1 hour lecture, 3 hours lab per week

 

[NeuroLAX]

At Nova it's 3 hours per week- 1 hour of lecture and 2 hours of lab.

I just bought an OMM table for home practice... only $72 + shipping on Amazon right now. They called it a massage table.

 

[pattr]

2-4 hours of lecture and 2 hours of lab @ Touro-CA.

 

[dntke1518]

At Nova it's 3 hours per week- 1 hour of lecture and 2 hours of lab.

I just bought an OMM table for home practice... only $72 + shipping on Amazon right now. They called it a massage table.

Have you gotten it yet? Just wondering quality wise how it is.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Have you gotten it yet? Just wondering quality wise how it is.

It shipped yesterday. Should have it in about a week. I'll be sure to let you know how it is. Too bad it isn't coming sooner. I have a OPP practical this Friday. I guess I'll have to go to my friend's place to practice- he has the same one but got it through one of the student organizations.

 

[munchymanRX]

It shipped yesterday. Should have it in about a week. I'll be sure to let you know how it is. Too bad it isn't coming sooner. I have a OPP practical this Friday. I guess I'll have to go to my friend's place to practice- he has the same one but got it through one of the student organizations.

Good luck on that man. Bony landmarks aren't bad, and Boesler/the fellows really do try to put you at ease during the practicals.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Good luck on that man. Bony landmarks aren't bad, and Boesler/the fellows really do try to put you at ease during the practicals.

Thanks! Yeah Boesler and the fellows went through everything last week and gave us a review packet with everything on there. I'm not worried about the bony landmarks- those are pretty straightforward. I'm more concerned about forgetting a detail about the technique and not verbalizing certain things. I guess when in doubt- say you would open the thoracic inlet before doing anything! 😀

P.S. Boesler is the Man.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Have you gotten it yet? Just wondering quality wise how it is.

Surprisingly I got a knock on the door just now and my OMM table has arrived! I have to go back to class so I'll let you know in a little while.

 

[DrWily]

Surprisingly I got a knock on the door just now and my OMM table has arrived! I have to go back to class so I'll let you know in a little while.

Is this gonna be one of those classes?

Ah yup.. speedbump.. pothole.. let me just.. twist this and... that.... ok do I get an A?

 

[NeuroLAX]

Have you gotten it yet? Just wondering quality wise how it is.

So I tested it out on my girlfriend today studying for OPP on Friday. Not bad... I would recommend getting one if you want to do some at-home practice with friends or your significant other. Feels sturdy enough, but I don't know the maximum allowable weight. Probably should figure that out 😀

 

[JeetKuneDo]

So, our class has our first OMM test in a couple days. Do all you other schools have to know random dates relating to "osteopathy." We gotta know everything about AT Still, born in 1828, attended Kansas City School of Physicians and Surgeons, the list goes on... I'm sure these facts will all turn me into a great physician some day.

 

[NeuroLAX]

So, our class has our first OMM test in a couple days. Do all you other schools have to know random dates relating to "osteopathy." We gotta know everything about AT Still, born in 1828, attended Kansas City School of Physicians and Surgeons, the list goes on... I'm sure these facts will all turn me into a great physician some day.

Yeah we have to do the same. His first patients were the Shawnee (his father ministered them). He was fascinated by anatomy and mechanics. June 22, 1874- AT Still rejects traditional medicine. 1892 founded American School of Osteopathy. AOA formed in 1897 in Kirksville. And a bunch of facts about DO licensure, like Vermont being the first to license DOs (1896) and Mississippi being the last (1973), Louisiana being the last to accept COMLEX for licensure, etc. The Flexner Report (1910). The UC Irvine fiasco of 1961, overturned in 1974 by California Supreme Court.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

So, our class has our first OMM test in a couple days. Do all you other schools have to know random dates relating to "osteopathy." We gotta know everything about AT Still, born in 1828, attended Kansas City School of Physicians and Surgeons, the list goes on... I'm sure these facts will all turn me into a great physician some day.

So glad we aren't tested on this nonsense. Sure, I guess it's interesting if you're a history buff, but it doesn't have anything to do with anything in terms of patient care.

 

[NeuroLAX]

So glad we aren't tested on this nonsense. Sure, I guess it's interesting if you're a history buff, but it doesn't have anything to do with anything in terms of patient care.

It's one lecture, hardly enough to warrant any serious complaining.

 

[DrMaximus]

So glad we aren't tested on this nonsense. Sure, I guess it's interesting if you're a history buff, but it doesn't have anything to do with anything in terms of patient care.

We only had one question on our first test about that stuff. I was so stoked.

 

[NeuroLAX]

We only had one question on our first test about that stuff. I was so stoked.

We had 5. Easy 5 questions. 👍

 

[munchymanRX]

We had 5. Easy 5 questions. 👍

And that is the last time you will ever see it.

In general though, pay attention to the questions on OPP exams at nova. Most of the OPP faculty either currently or has at some point written for the COMLEX.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

So glad we aren't tested on this nonsense. Sure, I guess it's interesting if you're a history buff, but it doesn't have anything to do with anything in terms of patient care.

Ours was not one question, but many. However, it was pretty easy. Still a waste of time and irrelevant to becoming a physician though.

 

[Mbeas]

So, our class has our first OMM test in a couple days. Do all you other schools have to know random dates relating to "osteopathy." We gotta know everything about AT Still, born in 1828, attended Kansas City School of Physicians and Surgeons, the list goes on... I'm sure these facts will all turn me into a great physician some day.

We don't even do this at KCOM...that's kinda funny

 

[dntke1518]

We don't even do this at KCOM...that's kinda funny

But we do get some inspirational AT Still quotes... ftw.

 

[DrMaximus]

But we do get some inspirational AT Still quotes... ftw.

Every OMM lecture is plastered with these...🙄

I just see slides with quotes and skip it. 😀

 

[Mbeas]

But we do get some inspirational AT Still quotes... ftw.

This is true

One of my favorites: To find health should be the object of the doctor. Anyone can find disease.

 

[NeuroLAX]

But we do get some inspirational AT Still quotes... ftw.

I think each of our OPP lectures has about 5 AT Still quotes.

 

[dntke1518]

I think each of our OPP lectures has about 5 AT Still quotes.

Boom son.

 

[infoleather]

You are definitely not alone. But there are some things you will use at least a friend / significant other.