OMM emphasis among DO schools

[DoWannaBe]

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I am very curious about curriculums at other school so that I can compare my school. I am currently an M-1 at NSUCOM. My schools offers just one hr of OMM lecture and 2hrs of lab. Is it something that other school offers or mine does not emphasize OMM..

Feedbacks from anyone is welcome.

 

[bobo]

I have heard that OMM is pretty lame at PCOM as well.

OTOH, Kirksville is suppoosed to be the strongest.

 

[rowerman]

Yeah, I hear from current students that OMM at PCOM sucks too. PCOM is going down in reputation and rank: lost campus hospital, class size to big (complaints from students feeling like a lottery number). Accepted, but not for me...

 

[UHS03]

At UHS, MS1 students take 2 hours of lecture and about 2.5 hours lab every week. I believe MS2 students only take 1 hour of lecture a week, plus 2.5 hours lab...but I would wait for a second year at UHS to confirm that.

 

[turtleboard]

I don't know anything about the relative strengths of OMM departments at the various DO schools, but I always figured that PCOM was among the strongest all across the board.

So KCOM is the best in OMM, huh?


Tim of New York City.

 

[Liquid_Tension]

Hey wanna be,

I am in my first year at NYCOM, and OMM seems to be taken seriously. We have several hours each week in the lab, and we can always spend as much time as we want in the lab. There are many faculty around to help us, and we also have enhancement and advanced sessions, which are useful.
Don't be a stranger,
-liquid colon

 

[bobo]

PCOM is strong across the board, in the running for the best overall DO program. I based my comment on various threads I have read here and elsewhere, but I cannot say for sure.

Other schools I interviewed at:
AZCOM - weak
NOVA - weak
Des Moines - moderate
KCOM - strong
LECOM - unsure, but they profess to be strong

I have heard nothing about PCOM "going down" - what rank I wonder?

I believed Tenet owned that hospital, apparently they had problems managing it. Anyway times are tough in the health care industry all over.

Of all the students I met when I was there, none had anything bad to say about the class size. Hell, that is one of the reasons I am going there.

Erie, OTOH, is a P.O.S.

 

[Mayqswet]

Bobo,

I'm curious; how did you arrive at the conclusion that AZCOM is weak (I assume you mean in OMM)? Also, do you have an opinion about UNECOM?

Were you accepted everywhere you interviewed?

Thanks.

 

[doatc]

At CCOM, 4 hours per week are dedicated to OMM. The hours are a combination of lab and lecture. We have a quiz every week, a comprehensive final, and a practical exam at the end of each quarter. During lab we have at least 10-15 DO's as instructors as well as 4 fellows and a handful of 4th year students on rotation. I feel that our program is improving every year. We have the wisdom of Dr. Kappler (practically wrote Foundations) and the innovation of Dr. Heinking. Our school is also building a new state of the art OMM lab facility. We have one of the strongest programs, but the experience is really what you make of it. If you want to learn the resources are there, unfortunately not many students take advantage of them.

[This message has been edited by doatc (edited 02-17-2000).]

 

[scoren]

Since a few have suggested KCOM has a great OMM department, I'd be interested to hear what you've learned so far. Any KCOM students care to give us the facts?

 

[Hskermdic]

At KCOM the amount of time spent in OMM varies depending on the week. Since our curiculum is now integrated how much time is spent in OMM depends on what we are doing in our other class, or I guess the OTM department would probably say how much time we spend in our other classes depends on what we are doing in OTM.

For example, last quarter we learned about the back in anatomy so in OTM we learned diagnosis of the back and treatment of the lumbar vertebrae. This quarter our focus in Anatomy, Exam Skils, Radiology and Physiology has been on structures in the thorax and the upper extremities so in OTM we learned treatment of the thoracis, ribs and thoracic inlet and the arms. I don't think we have had any formal lectures this quarter all of our time has been in lab (we do have some small lectures in lab)

On average we spend 3-4 hours in OTM per week but it really does vary. That doesn't sound like a lot of time compared to the other schools but we do have 1.5 years of OTM and I have heard we have the highest number of contact hours of OTM of all the school, I am not sure that is right though.

We have two practical exams per quarter and 2-3 written exams per quarter. Our labs follow the Kimberly Manual directly with some input from Counterstrain texts. (Counterstrain is great)

I hope this answers the question if not let me know.

OTM at KCOM has tought me a lot. We don't have the prettiest lab or maybe even the best of anything but it is still OTM can be a useful tool if taught properly.

------------------
Carrie
KCOM '03

 

[OldManDave]

To further what Carrie said...you can't throw a stick in our OMM lab and not hit an OTM Guru or OTM text author! Hell, virtually every one of them is either a past dept. chair, past FAAO/AOA Pres.,textbook author or any combination of the above. However, all that expertise sometimes contributes to a lack of continuity. In other words, they don't always agree on whose methods are the best. BUT, every single one of them is more than willing to help you as much as they can. The trick is to select a couple whose personal perspectives on OMM closely mimick your own and let them mentor you. For me, my favorites are Drs. Tettambul [sp?], Sutton and Vick.

No matter where you draw the line...KCOM has an extremely strong OTM department!

------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03

Nothing Risked, Nothing Gained!!

 

[amyb]

I just had to pipe up about PCOM. The loss of City Avenue Hospital, which PCOM was affiliated with, but did not own (has not since the late 80's I believe), had nothing to do with the quality of care delivered or the program there. It was a decision made solely by Tenet who took control of the ailing hospital a little over a year ago after the Allegheny Health System debacle that rocked many programs across the state of PA. As with so many other hospitals, finances rule the roost and small hospitals in poorer areas, surrounded by larger ones do not survive.
PCOM's programs still thrive in the nine other affiliated hospitals (just in Philly alone) and are considered VERY strong across the board by DO's and MD's alike in the Northeast and across the country. PCOM students learn/compete for residencies right along with the six other medical schools in Philadelphia, some of them ranked nationally (Penn), and do very well.
As far as OMM goes, it is true that it is not as emphasized as much as other schools, but as with other realms of education if ye seek, ye shall find. The programs are there and strong for the students to augment their education with as they see fit.

I guess it is just a matter of what you want to focus your education on, but after 100 years going strong, PCOM still stands at the top.

 

[rowerman]

BoBo-

PCOM, IMHO is a P.O.B.S.. Have fun with the rent and parking loser.

 

[bobo]

Loser? I am hurt.

Mayqswet:

I interviewed at AZCOM. "Weak" may not have been a goodc word to use. I base my comments entirely on the conversation that the interviewees had with a couple of students which took place in the OMM lab. They basically said that it was not heavily emphasized, that you get out of it what you put into it. This is not to say that you couldn't get a great OMM education if you really pursued it. I think that this holds true at a number of schools.

I have heard that OMM is fantastic at UNECOM.

Rowerman:

You seem to make it a point to bash PCOM. Of course, no school is perfect - but I have rarely read anything by dissatisfied PCOM students, and they have very happy graduates.

I interviewed at LECOM, and I am thankful I was accepted elsewhere. Weather, location, dress code, school in between warehouses? Not for me.

 

[prefontaine]

KCOM, UNECOM, NYCOM & MSU have (depending upon the student's efforts) the best OMT instructors/programs. Pikeville has Edward Stiles, so this (potentially) could be a good program. OU is probably second tier. The bottom tier is probably UMDNJ, OSU, PCOM, NOVA, etc.

 

[njdevil]

KCOM emphasises OTM about as much as a school can. The profesors that teach there are experts in the field as well as phanatics...if OTM is your thing...there is a lot of opportunity there for fellowship, research, and residency. The affiliated hospital has its own OMM department.