Shadowing an OMM doc

[ussdfiant]

I spent the morning shadowing an OMM doc at PCOM (for those at PCOM it was Dr. Nicholas)and it was really an interesting experience. I have read up on the technique but reading does not due justice to actually seeing it performed on patients. I was surprised by how much physical contact there is with the patient. Just wanted to suggest to other applicants out there that if you have the means, you should see OMM for yourself. I think it will give you an idea of how osteopathic medicine can differ from allopathic medicine, at least it did for me.

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[realruby2000]

Hey ussdifiant,
could you describe more in detail about your experience? What was the technique called and what did the doc exactly do? I sometimes think OMM is like massage but im sure its more than that.

thanks

 

[ussdfiant]

As I am not a med student (yet, I hope) I am not familiar with the terms, but I can describe some of what I saw. With all the patients he saw he started with manipulation of some sort around the lumbar region. He would then sort of cross his arms, pushing up along the lower back and pushing in the opposite direction towards the buttocks. There seemed to be a lot of resistance and counter-resistance involved. With some patients he would have them lay on their side and he would literally wrap himself around them and direct them to move their arm one way and twist their hip another way. He would then (I assume) provide some sort of counter resistance. What I found interesting was that he also examined a patient's jaw, having them open and close their mouth. I didn't know that was part of OMM. I want to say that this is my uneducated and probably poor description of some of what I saw today. Are there any med students/DOs that can clean up my rather sloppy account?

 

[Popoy]

I was able to shadow an osteopathic physician that mainly practices OMM/OMT and my experience with her was fascinating and I was in awe.... If you get a chance, you should absolute shadow a DO that does OMT and you'll have a better understanding of what it's all about....

 

[OsteoMed02]

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a lot of the summer shadowing a D.O. who is an associate prof at MSUCOM and who specialized in OMM. This experience was absolutely amazing! Not only was I able to watch him interact with patients, he allowed me to try some basic techniques on them myself! In addition, MSUCOM has a group of medical trainers in from Japan each summer and the college faculty instructs them in basic OMM techniques. I got a mini-lecture from 8am-5pm...it was basically like medical school for a day. Anyone who has an opportunity to do this should definitely take advantage of it. OMM is what osteopathy is all about and it's a wonderful form of medical therapy. Two thumbs up!!!

 

[BooBooBear]

ussdfiant

Ever wonder what the rest of the premed world is missing... after you have been "stunned" by what a good doc can do with OMT? I have been shadowing a pediatrician since last October and always amazed when I see how well OMT works. In fact recently at a seminar I helped out at, the docs were telling the story of how right after WWI there was a world wide flu epidemic and the US Government collected data on the efficasy of DOs (who used predominately OMT) and MDs. Well the DOs, who were very well organized, reported on the 100,000 cases they saw. While the MD community did the same. As it turned out, the osteopathic community had a patient mortality rate of about 2-3%, where the allopathic community reported something closer to 25-30%.

So OMT/OMM is an awesome tool... and I don't know why anyone would not want to learn and refine its use.... if at least for the benefit of there own family and friends. Just my opinion though.

ST