Shirt off policy?

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YayPudding

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Anyone else here have a terrible body (yes, I am working on it) and is concerned about no shirts during OMM? Is this a policy at every school? I'm currently considering matriculating at PCOM and would appreciate any advise.

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You'll be taking it off but it's not that big of a deal. There will be plenty of people in bad shape and only a handful of super models.

Fwiw I don't think I've taken off my shirt since first semester. As time went on they quit telling us to so we stopped doing it. It's not like you're going to make your patient take their shirt off in clinic anyways. Most people do rib raising and other thoracic techniques through the shirt.

I think they do it so you can develop the palpation skills with your hands
 
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Anyone else here have a terrible body (yes, I am working on it) and is concerned about no shirts during OMM? Is this a policy at every school? I'm currently considering matriculating at PCOM and would appreciate any advise.

I don't mean this to sound derogatory in any sense, but I wouldn't worry, as not every patient is going to be super fit, so you may actually be providing your peers with experience on how to palpate certain areas on an overweight ish individual. Like the above posters said, you're definitely not going to be the only one. I wouldn't worry.


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Anyone else here have a terrible body (yes, I am working on it) and is concerned about no shirts during OMM? Is this a policy at every school? I'm currently considering matriculating at PCOM and would appreciate any advise.
KCU doens't have this policy its just shirts and/or scrubs for everyone. And thank God that's the case haha.
 
I am sure you will encounter the super confident males that will take off their shirt (even if it's not required) just to show off lol
 
Mildly related, but one of the reasons I so badly want to be a doctor is so that people have the utmost faith and trust in me when I tell them to take their pants off. It's a real privilege
 
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You go shirtless (sports bras for females) on occasion at my school. It may be awkward at first, but I promise that
A) it's not just you, your classmates are too busy being self conscious to stare at you
and
B) you will all get used to it and it will feel normal by month 2 at the latest.
 
Anyone else here have a terrible body (yes, I am working on it) and is concerned about no shirts during OMM? Is this a policy at every school? I'm currently considering matriculating at PCOM and would appreciate any advise.

It's all about the golden mean my friend. You won't be the best looking in the room (especially if you go to MSUCOM (LOL), but you most likely certainly won't be the worst.
 
It's all about the golden mean my friend. You won't be the best looking in the room (especially if you go to MSUCOM (LOL), but you most likely certainly won't be the worst.
Gee, I don't know about that :-/
 
Gee, I don't know about that :-/
Use this as motivation to transform your body in the next six to eight months. That's what I'm doing. It's tough to get in great shape when you're drowning in work at medical school and who knows what your metabolism will be like when you get out of school, and even then it'll be tough to work out consistently once you're a resident.

No better time to get shredded than the present, my friend. You can make considerable progress if you commit now by the time you matriculate
 
After 1.5 years of OMM lab, I can tell you this: no one really cares about how you look. We have people in our class who look like fitness models, and others who are far from it. But I can honestly tell you that when I'm in lab, or especially in a practical exam, I'm so focused that I don't even notice what the person across me looks like -- I only notice their somatic dysfunction 😛
 
Wait what? You have to take your shirt off? In front of everybody? Can someone please explain this and the context...
 
Wait what? You have to take your shirt off? In front of everybody? Can someone please explain this and the context...

At most schools yes, usually part of the OMM class. Some schools are just t-shirts and athletic shorts but a lot require tops off for males and sports bras for females.
 
At most schools yes, usually part of the OMM class. Some schools are just t-shirts and athletic shorts but a lot require tops off for males and sports bras for females.
I hate to be that person but are there accommodations for religious beliefs/modesty? Would they be okay to maybe having this done in private?
 
Anyone else here have a terrible body (yes, I am working on it) and is concerned about no shirts during OMM? Is this a policy at every school? I'm currently considering matriculating at PCOM and would appreciate any advise.

plenty off people are like that in omm don't worry
 
I hate to be that person but are there accommodations for religious beliefs/modesty? Would they be okay to maybe having this done in private?
Certainly. We have a few people who do not participate in this "required" dress code due to reasons that you stated. They are always partnered up with women in the lab, and have people take their place (have people act a "surrogate") during practical exams (where your partner has to have their shirt off for proper evaluation).
 
Wait what? You have to take your shirt off? In front of everybody? Can someone please explain this and the context...

In addition to previous explanations, you're not typically going to be shirtless for great lengths of time. We are encouraged to put our shirts back on in between diagnosing/techniques lol, or when you switch (i.e. you diagnose your partner, then they put their top back on and you remove yours when they diagnose you). Also, most of the shirtless stuff happened quite early on... in workshop as an M2 hardly anyone takes their shirt off, ever. And yes, some people never remove their tops for religious regions etc.
 
In addition to previous explanations, you're not typically going to be shirtless for great lengths of time. We are encouraged to put our shirts back on in between diagnosing/techniques lol, or when you switch (i.e. you diagnose your partner, then they put their top back on and you remove yours when they diagnose you). Also, most of the shirtless stuff happened quite early on... in workshop as an M2 hardly anyone takes their shirt off, ever. And yes, some people never remove their tops for religious regions etc.

You still exist on these forums nowadays?! 😉


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Isn't seeing our classmates shirtless how we determine who is gunning for ortho?

I don't know man, but all the ortho surgeons I know have huge bellies...
 
I don't know man, but all the ortho surgeons I know have huge bellies...

Yeah I think the stereotype that exists today is a fairly recent (last 10 years or so) development, all of the older ones I work with are either fat or super skinny and nerdy, the younger guys fit the stereotype to a T. The newest one is about 6'4 and jacked.
 
I've got a skin condition and will NOT be taking of my shirt if I get into DO.

I also have a skin condition, so I feel your pain. Unfortunately I think this is non negotiable at some schools. I would check with where you will be matriculating to check there policy. PCOM (where I'll be going) even requires students to remove religious head dressings while doing OMM on the head and neck.


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Taking off our shirts has not been mandatory in my OMM classes so far (I'm in the second semester of my first year). Some of the men and women choose to take of their shirts and some don't. Among those who do, only a handful have great bodies. So if I were you I wouldn't worry too much. There's bound to be someone in your class bigger than you. Personally speaking, I'm 111 lbs and I chose not to take of my shirt so...
 
I also have a skin condition, so I feel your pain. Unfortunately I think this is non negotiable at some schools. I would check with where you will be matriculating to check there policy. PCOM (where I'll be going) even requires students to remove religious head dressings while doing OMM on the head and neck.


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Damn, that's kind of crazy.
 
you're gunna have your hands inside someones dead grandpa for hours on end

i think you'll figure out how to manage everyone seeing your man-boobs

Your level of empathy is astounding. Not to mention your respect for those that have donated their body to science. I can't even fathom how these invaluable skills will transfer over to patient interactions. Plz teach me.
You're probably one of those guys that gets super stoked to have a female partner on the day of innominate lab, too. Yikes.
 
Yeah making a joke (with an important message, I might add) on an anonymous internet forum really translates into how I conduct myself around people in the real world. Please stop.
 
Your level of empathy is astounding. Not to mention your respect for those that have donated their body to science. I can't even fathom how these invaluable skills will transfer over to patient interactions. Plz teach me.
You're probably one of those guys that gets super stoked to have a female partner on the day of innominate lab, too. Yikes.

Easy there Seabiscuit.
 
Is this an actual thing?! I am hitting the gym every day for the next 6 months. Gotta have that 6 pack and show everyone whats up!












jk I am too lazy for that. I will stay fluffy

The gym is always abnormally crowded right after the New Year's and then the crowd slowly diminishes by the months...
 
The gym is always abnormally crowded right after the New Year's and then the crowd slowly diminishes by the months...
months? lol the new years crowd usually disappears after the first week when they get sore. then it is back to peace and quiet and the occasional grunt from the hulk in the corner.
 
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