Strip down for OMM?

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tmandudeguy

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Is it true that for OMM you have to strip off all your clothes for your partner to practice on you? Im just curious because I feel this may be a problem for some people. Are there any exceptions? Im guessing there also has to be a same gender partner rule right?
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That does not happen.

It's gym shorts at all times and you take your shirt off briefly when being treated. Girls wear sports bras. It's not awkward at all.
 
Im sorry I must have made it sound like strip naked. I did mean just the shirt. Should have been more clear. I still feel some must feel uncomfortable doing so.
 
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tmandudeguy said:
Im sorry I must have made it sound like strip naked. I did mean just the shirt. Should have been more clear. I still feel some must feel uncomfortable doing so.
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it may be a little uncomfortable at first, but you will eventually get used to it. after palpating a couple of your classmates' pubic tubercles, nothing will phase you anymore. just be professional.
 
just wait 'til you learn ischiocavernosus MET

EDIT: But in all seriousness almost everyone gets over it really fast. We're not all fitness models and that's fine. The only exceptions I've seen are for people who have medical contraindications or conservative Muslim women. Hell, I like OMT - I can just hang out in my gym shorts and lay down on the table during the lectures.
 
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I know during my interview they asked specifically if I would have a problem "touching" other people or adhering to the dress code (gym shorts and t shirt) for OMM. Also when you are accepted I think most schools make you sign something saying you don't have a problem performing OMM in class.
 
No wonder you're always hearing about lots of hookups in med school, since you're touching your classmates during the day which is pretty personal then when everyone goes out together.. Seems inevitable.
 
A little off topic, but serious question. Who do we practice breast exams on? I can't imagine it being our classmates?
 
SurgeDO said:
it may be a little uncomfortable at first, but you will eventually get used to it. after palpating a couple of your classmates' pubic tubercles, nothing will phase you anymore. just be professional.
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Haha we just started this a couple weeks ago. Agreed.
 
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abolt18 said:
Haha we just started this a couple weeks ago. Agreed.
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Over here too. We're also in the cardiac unit, so we learned to palpate cardiac landmarks in clinical skills lab.

You get used to it. My partner has been male for the last two months. We wear scrub pants instead of gym shorts but that's the only difference from everyone else. I don't even care about taking off my shirt anymore.
 
lysine9740 said:
No wonder you're always hearing about lots of hookups in med school, since you're touching your classmates during the day which is pretty personal then when everyone goes out together.. Seems inevitable.
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Let just hope you're in shape when that shirt comes off, the girl you like may see your man boobs and disapprove. 🤢
 
Since arriving here, I've become that dude who strips his shirt off without hesitation. Just jump in. No one will think twice, unless you have an infected skin lesion or something. In which case you may want to ask to be let out of lab to go to the hospital.

abolt18 said:
Haha we just started this a couple weeks ago. Agreed.
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Pubic tubercles. And I thought palpating ischial tuberosities was uncomfortable.

Always move in from the top...
GUH said:
just wait 'til you learn ischiocavernosus MET

EDIT: But in all seriousness almost everyone gets over it really fast. We're not all fitness models and that's fine. The only exceptions I've seen are for people who have medical contraindications or conservative Muslim women. Hell, I like OMT - I can just hang out in my gym shorts and lay down on the table during the lectures.
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This must be the mysterious OMT technique upperclass students have been alluding to when I joke about awkward palpations
 
Had a female classmate attempt to identify the pubic tubercles of a male classmate of mine during a practical exam. They always teach you too vs in from over the abdomen with the heel of your hand and your fingers aimed toward the head of your patient. Well she got the starting place right but her fingers were aimed at the...well you know.

She ended up pretty-much just fondling the guy's goods before the instructor looked up from his clipboard and corrected her. We didn't let her live that one down for a while.

During chapman's points, I had a female partner, the ones over the chest were in areas that I never would have felt relaxed about just going for before OMM class, but by that point I didn't even give it a second thought (and neither did anyone else in the class). At that point you're so focused on the material that you sorta forget it's a member of the opposite sex you've got your hands on. It becomes the least awkward of things pretty quick.
 
At NSU, you get OPP shorts that you buy at the bookstore. The top can be any NSU shirt. Girls have to wear sports bras or a bikini top underneath. Partners get changed up every week so you get a chance to practice on both males and females, and differently sized people. We did the pubic tubercles the second week of school when we barely knew each other and that kind of made it weirder haha
 
When you are a physician you need to feel comfortable touching people.

As a rugby player I'm damn comfortable touching others and being touched in little to no clothing so I'm not too concerned.
 
touchpause13 said:
When you are a physician you need to feel comfortable touching people.

As a rugby player I'm damn comfortable touching others and being touched in little to no clothing so I'm not too concerned.
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Rugby? And here I thought you were a delicate flower.
 
Wow.. this thread blew up since I made it yesterday haha. Some great responses here. However I find it funny how some of you are saying one should be comfortable touching people if theyre becoming a DO. But I really was just referring to the individual undressing, I think it would be rather odd for a doctor let alone a DO to be uncomfortable with physically interacting with others.

On a side note. Some of you shouldnt be so cruel regarding people feeling uncomfortable taking off their shirt. Thats not very empathetic. I wasnt talking personally. Im an avid strength lifter and Ive trained many overweight self conscious individuals. I would feel bad for them.... as for me, atleast I get to show off my work in the gym 😉
 
Are there any extremely overweight or at least somewhat overweight in anyone's class? I'm curious how these people feel or are viewed (at least at first) during OMM.
 
That's what I was curious about... also is this something you have to do for every OMM class? Is OMM class everyday?
 
tmandudeguy said:
That's what I was curious about... also is this something you have to do for every OMM class? Is OMM class everyday?
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No, you do not take off your shirt for every lab. It depends on which anatomical area you are studying at the time. OMM lab is generally once a week. It's once a week at my school, 1 hour for lecture in the morning and 2 hours for lab in the afternoon. The number of hours varies from school to school.
 
m1021 said:
Are there any extremely overweight or at least somewhat overweight in anyone's class? I'm curious how these people feel or are viewed (at least at first) during OMM.
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Not really sure what you mean by this. There are certainly some overweight individuals in my class (and I imagine every class). They are generally viewed as people. Mainly because... they're people. They may also be viewed as classmates, or patients with a somatic dysfunction (depending on whether or not you can find that type 2 T8 F RSl). This is a medical school. This is a relatively professional environment. If at this point in time, student doctors are going to view someone who's overweight/obese like they are sideshow exhibit, those student doctors are gonna have trouble treating a nation with a severe obesity problem.
 
hallowmann said:
Not really sure what you mean by this. There are certainly some overweight individuals in my class (and I imagine every class). They are generally viewed as people. Mainly because... they're people. They may also be viewed as classmates, or patients with a somatic dysfunction (depending on whether or not you can find that type 2 T8 F RSl). This is a medical school. This is a relatively professional environment. If at this point in time, student doctors are going to view someone who's overweight/obese like they are sideshow exhibit, those student doctors are gonna have trouble treating a nation with a severe obesity problem.
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+1 trust me no one cares in lab
 
m1021 said:
Are there any extremely overweight or at least somewhat overweight in anyone's class? I'm curious how these people feel or are viewed (at least at first) during OMM.
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Interesting question, most med school classes tend to be on the smaller side, but just like the general population there will be some who are heavier.
 
hallowmann said:
Not really sure what you mean by this. There are certainly some overweight individuals in my class (and I imagine every class). They are generally viewed as people. Mainly because... they're people. They may also be viewed as classmates, or patients with a somatic dysfunction (depending on whether or not you can find that type 2 T8 F RSl). This is a medical school. This is a relatively professional environment. If at this point in time, student doctors are going to view someone who's overweight/obese like they are sideshow exhibit, those student doctors are gonna have trouble treating a nation with a severe obesity problem.
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Ouch. Hopefully that tone isn't towards me, but more towards the fact it would be silly at our age to judge people like that. However, it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I was just curious if anyone had experienced or seen negativity towards it. I agree with you, but it doesn't mean that sort of stuff couldn't be happening.
 
Honestly, I was a bit nervous about this before starting, but it doesn't matter. You take your shirt off when you're the patient for a few minutes, and everyone is too busy worrying about taking their shirt off to care. Some people rip their shirts off and show off their 6-pack as soon as they walk in (not that I blame them), but most people just want to get out of lab and study.
 
Let me just say that, having been recently accepted into a DO program, I personally look forward to pubic tubercle day.
 
Carl Seitan said:
Let me just say that, having been recently accepted into a DO program, I personally look forward to pubic tubercle day.
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Uhh ok... Just remember to go to the bathroom before lab!
 
FrkyBgStok said:
im a big guy and the only issue i ever deal with is when i am paired with a small female and that is only for certain labs, namely HVLA on the thoracics and ribs. other than that, it has never been an issue for me. to qualify that, i am a really sexy fat guy.
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haha +1 to this. I'm kind of a bigger guy too which I feel isn't a bad thing to practice on in OMM lab. A very small percentage of your patients are going to have the supermodel physique.
 
m1021 said:
Ouch. Hopefully that tone isn't towards me, but more towards the fact it would be silly at our age to judge people like that. However, it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I was just curious if anyone had experienced or seen negativity towards it. I agree with you, but it doesn't mean that sort of stuff couldn't be happening.
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More towards the fact that it would be silly. People do stupid things, but I hope that given where we are in life people wouldn't judge someone like that (or at very least wouldn't do it outwardly, even if they're thinking it). Honestly though, most people are just trying to learn the techniques, and little more thinking than that is really going on.
 
tmandudeguy said:
Is it true that for OMM you have to strip off all your clothes for your partner to practice on you? Im just curious because I feel this may be a problem for some people. Are there any exceptions? Im guessing there also has to be a same gender partner rule right?
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This is why I went D.O.


not srs, lol


Seriously, man, people just don't care. Not only is it not a big deal, it's not even a little deal.
 
It's actually pretty professional even if you are palpating ILA etc. they teach you to do professionally (use thumbs and keep your fingers closed). Only problem I gad so far with OMM is that I am ticklish which bothers me lol
 
Pisiform said:
It's actually pretty professional even if you are palpating ILA etc. they teach you to do professionally (use thumbs and keep your fingers closed). Only problem I gad so far with OMM is that I am ticklish which bothers me lol
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The whole lab setting is very professional with regard to threadstarter's concerns, and I imagine anyone that steps out in a way that makes the patient/partner uncomfortable will probably lose points and have a chat with the course director.

So on that note, there are no gender or size or other rules. You have to learn to palpate and work on a variety of patients so they rotate us randomly every few weeks.
 
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