On the matter of shadowing a D.O. never seen OMM in practice

[deleted212936]

Here's my problem: I shadowed a D.O. cardiologist last month but never saw her use OMM. I asked her straight out when she used it and she said "well I've never used it" and went on about being a D.O....
OMG, I'm gonna apply to DO schools and say I like OMM approach but would anybody believe me when I've never observed OMM in practice?
Where can I see actual OMM in practice? Who D.O , of what specialty, should I better contact?

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[beachblonde]

Your best bet to see a doctor using OMT might be when shadowing a primary care physician. The only DOs I know of who use OMT are in the primary care fields.

That, and be aware that the number of DOs who use OMT is not very high. I think it's ok to say that you've read about OMT and like the ideas behind it-you could even read some testimonials and say that it sounds like some people benefit from it. I doubt any school will hold it against you that you've never seen it in use.

 

[MaximusD]

Tell them the truth.

You shadowed a DO that seemed like an excellent physician, BUT UNFORTUNATELY they didn't practice OMM. Go on to say how much of a shame it was that they didn't, and that you think that the future of osteopathic medicine lies in our "hands". They'll love it 🙂

 

[Psych1985]

I would say it is typically used in family medicine and occupational medicine. What you can do is contact the AOA and send an email to [email protected] and write about your background and that you want to see some OMM. DOs in your area will be contacted and those that do OMM will email you back and then you can set up shadowing with them.
This is the only way that I was able to find a DO to shadow and I received an overwhelming amount of replies.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Here's my problem: I shadowed a D.O. cardiologist last month but never saw her use OMM. I asked her straight out when she used it and she said "well I've never used it" and went on about being a D.O....
OMG, I'm gonna apply to DO schools and say I like OMM approach but would anybody believe me when I've never observed OMM in practice?
Where can I see actual OMM in practice? Who D.O , of what specialty, should I better contact?

Whoa wait ... you shadowed ONE DO who was a CARDIOLOGIST and they didn't use manipulation??? WHAAAA???? Someone call the AOA ASAP. Dude what the hell were you expecting???? Only 5 % of DOs use OMM. It's extremely unfortunate, but honestly were you really expecting a cardiologist to use OMM?????

 

[RySerr21]

http://www.osteopathic.org/directory.cfm

Use this website. Search by specialty. CLick "Osteo Manipulative Treatment." Thats your best bet. Thats what I did, and it worked out well.

 

[beachblonde]

Whoa wait ... you shadowed ONE DO who was a CARDIOLOGIST and they didn't use manipulation??? WHAAAA???? Someone call the AOA ASAP. Dude what the hell were you expecting???? Only 5 % of DOs use OMM. It's extremely unfortunate, but honestly were you really expecting a cardiologist to use OMM?????

Dude, sarcasm overload.

If you don't know a lot about OMM, I can't understand how the OP ended up not realizing a cardiologist wouldn't use it in practice. Easily rectified mistake, though...and hey, more shadowing time....

 

[JaggerPlate]

Dude, sarcasm overload.

If you don't know a lot about OMM, I can't understand how the OP ended up not realizing a cardiologist wouldn't use it in practice. Easily rectified mistake, though...and hey, more shadowing time....

Dude, relax.

I was just, as you said, being sarcastic. The truth is that you know nothing about OMM, I know nothing about OMM, and the OP knows nothing about OMM. The reason why I was so sarcastic was because the OP has shadowed one DO and it's foolish to expect to see/do everything while shadowing one doctor in one specialty. Maybe OMM is a great tool post Cardio procedures. I don't really know, my point was to relax because it was one doctor. So both of you ... relax, take it with the sarcasm meter turned to full (you're on SDN after all).

 

[TexasTriathlete]

This place is going downhill.

 

[Postal]

This is why I don't understand why osteopathic schools make such a big deal about shadowing a D.O. If D.O.'s and M.D.'s are practically identical and hardly any D.O.'s practice OMM, shouldn't a letter from an M.D. suffice?

 

[primadonna22274]

I've worked with DOs who NEVER used OMM (EM, IM) to those who SELDOM used it (peds) to those who used it semi-frequently (FP, sports medicine practice, eg. were the local HS/college sports med doctors). I imagine DO orthos use it a fair bit too although I haven't worked with any. One of the DOs I work with regularly in the ED has cracked my neck on occasion (sorry, can't remember what adjustment that's called) and does a fine job although it freaks me out when he does it. The pediatron I worked with would adjust kids but no adults. (Well, he was a pediatrician, I guess.)
I've known DO OBs...but haven't worked with them. Wondered if they would do anything for the pregnant lady with round ligament pain or sacroiliac pain...dunno. One of the ladies I worked with had a heckuva time with her little guy and was literally in physical therapy for most of that pregnancy to work on her lower back issues.
???
Let me just say that for the most part, the DOs I know who don't use it say it just doesn't reimburse.
Can't substantiate that as I've never looked into it.

 

[JaggerPlate]

This is why I don't understand why osteopathic schools make such a big deal about shadowing a D.O. If D.O.'s and M.D.'s are practically identical and hardly any D.O.'s practice OMM, shouldn't a letter from an M.D. suffice?

I'm almost positive that all DO schools will accept an MD letter. They almost all require a 'physician's letter,' some 'strongly recommend' a DO letter and there are probably a small amount that only want a DO. It's not unreasonable in my opinion. I know it's hard to shadow a DO, but you are making a huge decision to attend a DO school and they want to make sure you know what you're getting into.

Also to Primadonna ...

I believe they recently started insurance codes for OMM, but in the past a lot of Docs did cash only OMM and really raked in some cash.

 

[RySerr21]

I'm almost positive that all DO schools will accept an MD letter. They almost all require a 'physician's letter,' some 'strongly recommend' a DO letter and there are probably a small amount that only want a DO. It's not unreasonable in my opinion. I know it's hard to shadow a DO, but you are making a huge decision to attend a DO school and they want to make sure you know what you're getting into.

Also to Primadonna ...

I believe they recently started insurance codes for OMM, but in the past a lot of Docs did cash only OMM and really raked in some cash.

LECOM-E, LECOM-B, LMU-DCOM, PCSOM, RVUCOM, VCOM, and WVSOM all require a DO letter.

 

[DannMann99]

i've heard some osteopathic surgeons do not use omm. wtf

 

[DrMom]

This is why I don't understand why osteopathic schools make such a big deal about shadowing a D.O. If D.O.'s and M.D.'s are practically identical and hardly any D.O.'s practice OMM, shouldn't a letter from an M.D. suffice?

Because there are, at least in theory, philosophical differences between the two medical degrees.

I'm almost positive that all DO schools will accept an MD letter. They almost all require a 'physician's letter,' some 'strongly recommend' a DO letter and there are probably a small amount that only want a DO.

There are definitely schools that require a DO letter.

LECOM-E, LECOM-B, LMU-DCOM, PCSOM, RVUCOM, VCOM, and WVSOM all require a DO letter.

The last I checked, OSU-COM required a DO letter, too.

 

[JaggerPlate]

LECOM-E, LECOM-B, LMU-DCOM, PCSOM, RVUCOM, VCOM, and WVSOM all require a DO letter.

Eh ... good to know. I still think the majority will take either.

 

[Spooner13]

Here's my problem: I shadowed a D.O. cardiologist last month but never saw her use OMM. I asked her straight out when she used it and she said "well I've never used it" and went on about being a D.O....
OMG, I'm gonna apply to DO schools and say I like OMM approach but would anybody believe me when I've never observed OMM in practice?
Where can I see actual OMM in practice? Who D.O , of what specialty, should I better contact?

If you live near an osteopathic school, try to go to an open house. A lot of times at open houses they will do an OMT demonstration. Also, they will tell you the inside scoop on OMT (a bunch of cool things that you could mention in interviews, secondaries, etc.)

In the 1990's, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study about the effectiveness of OMT on back pain. Also, I think there was another study (not sure where its published) where OMT helped women that just had hysterectomies. These are pretty good reasons to be interested in OMT, if you're ever asked.

 

[DannMann99]

yea. one of the prof's at pcom is doing research for the dod on omt treatment of sprained ankles. can't have soldiers getting layed up because of an ankle sprain.

 

[scpod]

....I believe they recently started insurance codes for OMM, but in the past a lot of Docs did cash only OMM and really raked in some cash.

It's not a "new" thing as OMM codes and diagnoses have been there for quite a while. But, you are right in that a lot of people don't know how to correctly bill them. Actually, too many docs are not well-enough aquainted with billing and coding so that they are missing out on reimbursements they could be getting. I rotated with a doc who owns a hospitalist group. He requires his docs to go to coding seminars and learn billing inside and out. His group generates more money for the hospital than any other group does, and at the same time decreases LOS by over 1/2 day-- simply by knowing how to code things properly. Ummm.... he's a DO but they don't do any OMM either. There are a few docs locally, however, that choose to do OMM, code it correctly, and do really, really well.

 

[deleted212936]

One of the DOs I work with regularly in the ED has cracked my neck on occasion (sorry, can't remember what adjustment that's called) and does a fine job although it freaks me out when he does it. The pediatron I worked with would adjust kids but no adults. (Well, he was a pediatrician, I guess.)

Now that you mention it, I remember when I was small and accidentally sprained my elbow, my mom took me to a chiropractor who adjusted my arm bone; I heard a "crack", no pain, and my arm was normal again. Was it OMM ??

 

[JaggerPlate]

Now that you mention it, I remember when I was small and accidentally broke my arm, my mom took me to a chiropractor who adjusted my arm bone; I heard a "crack" and my arm was normal again. Was it considered D.O. practice, too??

Ummm, what??? I don't think a DC cracking your 'arm bone' is considered an osteopathic adjustment. Were you being sarcastic?? WHAAA???

 

[primadonna22274]

Well by that logic every time I've reduced a nursemaid's elbow it's OMM. Try again.

Ummm, what??? I don't think a DC cracking your 'arm bone' is considered an osteopathic adjustment. Were you being sarcastic?? WHAAA???

 

[MossPoh]

I think what is more concerning is that you think you need to push OMM if you are interested in going to a DO school. That is just one aspect of osteopathic medicine. It is not going to make or break your application. If they ask you during the interview you say something along the lines of 'Well, I did not get to see it while shadowing but it is something I'm interested in learning more about and would love to have the skillset for the future" or some crap like that.