Which DO Schools Are Dead Serious about OMM/OMT?

[Dohnut]

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Hi all,

I'm applying to DO schools wanting to be a physician of course, with a particular desire to learn the OMM/OMT. I read a post somewhere by the glorious Goro, and he was saying some DO schools are like, meh medical license matters more, and just offer lip service for OMM/OMT; there're also DO schools that are dead serious about OMM/OMT, and I want to be in one of those.

So based on y'all's experience, could you please list a few of the DO schools that you think are big and dead serious on the teaching and practicing of OMM/OMT in addition to the regular MS or OMS curriculi?

Thank you for your kind input,
Doh


Edit: I did find a few threads about it but they were all from before 2005

 

[LightRiser32]

Just a speculation: ATSU-KCOM is probably the #1 most serious about it, judging from their website and that it is where Osteopathic Medicine first began.

 

[deleted480308]

If you love OMT, you'll love CUSOM

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

MUCOM & DMU & Western tend to be very very OMT heavy.

KCU tends to be moderate with its OMT. Which is something I am thankful for as when I'm studying for a midterm or final that last thing I want is more OMT.

No matter what DO school you go to you'll learn enough OMT that you'll be forgetting tons as you go and adding more time does little to teach or perfect the skill set ( Lets be frank, most DO schools will have you do it once and then you move on to another set of OMT skills). If you remain one of the crazies who loves OMT that much by the end of their 4th year there are joint FM/OMT and NMM/OMT residencies for you to apply to.

 

[ortnakas]

Some faculty are more serious about it than others, but we get quite a bit of OMT at LECOM (average week: 1 hour lecture, 1.5 hour lab).

 

[Seth Joo]

ATSU and DMU are pretty big on OMM.

 

[LittleDavidBigger]

Western is pretty big on OMM. They require 4 hours a week of in-class time, which some people consider superfluous. They also offer an OMM fellowship for those who enjoy the teaching aspect of it.

 

[Goro]

My own school, somewhere west of St Louis.

 

[cabinbuilder]

LECOM-Erie

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Western is pretty big on OMM. They require 4 hours a week of in-class time, which some people consider superfluous. They also offer an OMM fellowship for those who enjoy the teaching aspect of it.

I think generally all DO schools offer some form of anatomy & omm fellowship. But generally over 2 hours of OMM is superfluous in my opinion.

 

[asdf123g]

Lets rephrase the question to make it less relative: Which schools have you do more than 2 hours of OMM a week? So far just western and possibly KCOM

 

[meliora27]

Having graduated and talked to friends at other COM's, I'd place KCUMB in the "very light emphasis" category.

During M1/M2, there's a lecture and lab a week. As M2 progressed, it seemed like we spent less and less time lab.

During M3/M4 there are NO OMM REQUIREMENTS. Aside from the COMLEX PE, I never once used OMM after M2 of medical school. Not once during my M3 or M4 year.

Other COM's actually have a required OMM rotation during M3 or M4...

 

[Stagg737]

@Dohnut , if you're really interested in OMM ask about fellowships when you interview. Many schools have OMM fellows even if they aren't heavy on the subject in the general curriculum.

Lets rephrase the question to make it less relative: Which schools have you do more than 2 hours of OMM a week? So far just western and possibly KCOM

Do you mean total or just lecture/just lab? I think most, if not all, schools will average more than 2 hours per week if you're talking about total.

 

[asdf123g]

@Stagg737 I meant lab but as long as people specify what they mean. Good clarification on your part.

 

[Seth Joo]

Lets rephrase the question to make it less relative: Which schools have you do more than 2 hours of OMM a week? So far just western and possibly KCOM

KCOM definitely has more than that, its the first DO school.

 

[PKA<0]

Idk why everyone says DMU is so big on OMM. Compared to our other classes OMM is not even a thing. It's our only mandatory class though, so I get mad that I have to put pants on.

 

[Dohnut]

My own school, somewhere west of St Louis.

Very informative info, thanks Goro lol!

 

[Dohnut]

Some faculty are more serious about it than others, but we get quite a bit of OMT at LECOM (average week: 1 hour lecture, 1.5 hour lab).

LECOM SH or LECOM Erie? I interview at Erie in October!

Prolly too much to ask, but have you any advice on the Erie interview? How long have you been at LECOM and how'd you like it there? PM me if you would please?

 

[Dohnut]

LECOM-Erie

What made you decide to go with LECOM Erie and how was those 4 years there for you sir? I interview there next month so if you don't mind, could you PM me on that please? I'd love to learn more about the FM/OMT residency.

 

[cabinbuilder]

What made you decide to go with LECOM Erie and how was those 4 years there for you sir? I interview there next month so if you don't mind, could you PM me on that please? I'd love to learn more about the FM/OMT residency.

1. I am a woman
2. I have friends in Erie so chose to apply there.
3. They accepted me so I went.
4. They have rules but it's no different than any other job you would be in, don't buck the system and they leave you alone. They have dress code and attendance policy.
5. Time goes by very fast and I had a great time there and it felt like family to me.
6. Residency has nothing to do with medical school.

 

[DO2015CA]

My own school, somewhere west of St Louis.

The ever elusive Goro

 

[DO2015CA]

What made you decide to go with LECOM Erie and how was those 4 years there for you sir? I interview there next month so if you don't mind, could you PM me on that please? I'd love to learn more about the FM/OMT residency.

Obviously new here calling @cabinbuilder a sir

 

[Dohnut]

1. I am a woman
2. I have friends in Erie so chose to apply there.
3. They accepted me so I went.
4. They have rules but it's no different than any other job you would be in, don't buck the system and they leave you alone. They have dress code and attendance policy.
5. Time goes by very fast and I had a great time there and it felt like family to me.
6. Residency has nothing to do with medical school.

Oh dang, I'm so sorry ma'am. I knew I should have put "sir/ma'am" on there, lol

 

[Dohnut]

Obviously new here calling @cabinbuilder a sir

My join date was 11/8/13, yours says 4/21/14. Just sayin'. I just don't have time to be on SDN all the time to know of everyone famous on here, let alone what sex they are.

 

[ortnakas]

Are there actually school that have less than 2.5 hours/week on OPP/OMM?

 

[deleted407021]

I've heard PCOM-GA puts a good bit of emphasis on OMM but not to an obnoxious degree.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Hi all,

I'm applying to DO schools wanting to be a physician of course, with a particular desire to learn the OMM/OMT. I read a post somewhere by the glorious Goro, and he was saying some DO schools are like, meh medical license matters more, and just offer lip service for OMM/OMT; there're also DO schools that are dead serious about OMM/OMT, and I want to be in one of those.

So based on y'all's experience, could you please list a few of the DO schools that you think are big and dead serious on the teaching and practicing of OMM/OMT in addition to the regular MS or OMS curriculi?

Thank you for your kind input,
Doh


Edit: I did find a few threads about it but they were all from before 2005

the OMM teacher at ACOM seemed very enthusiastic about it

 

[allantois]

I'm yet to meet a Nova grad who practices OMM, so there's that 😀

 

[cbrons]

Hi all,

I'm applying to DO schools wanting to be a physician of course, with a particular desire to learn the OMM/OMT. I read a post somewhere by the glorious Goro, and he was saying some DO schools are like, meh medical license matters more, and just offer lip service for OMM/OMT; there're also DO schools that are dead serious about OMM/OMT, and I want to be in one of those.

So based on y'all's experience, could you please list a few of the DO schools that you think are big and dead serious on the teaching and practicing of OMM/OMT in addition to the regular MS or OMS curriculi?

Thank you for your kind input,
Doh


Edit: I did find a few threads about it but they were all from before 2005

Pretty sure they are all drinking the OMM koolaid pretty hard

 

[igor_raptor]

My own school, somewhere west of St Louis.

Really hoping to get some love this cycle with SWSL-COM

 

[Goro]

You're in!!

Really hoping to get some love this cycle with SWSL-COM

 

[DreamingDoc]

I've heard PCOM-GA puts a good bit of emphasis on OMM but not to an obnoxious degree.

GA-PCOM typically has 2 hours of OMM lecture and 1.5 hours of OMM lab every week. It's taken seriously here, because not having a 70% average on both practical and written exam scores separately could mean having to repeat the entire year (even if you are doing really well in the clinical/basic science courses). Not an obnoxious emphasis, but definitely not something to brush off. Plus, it will show up on boards later, so I feel like they do a good job of getting us to really learn it.

 

[greenflash5]

For us first years at PNWU we have 1 hour of lecture and three hours of lab a week!🙂 We have two awesome OMM fellows who were second years last year as well.

 

[Seth Joo]

I'm yet to meet a Nova grad who practices OMM, so there's that 😀

That is because Nova is practically an Allopathic school in many ways, my school is the same, our administration even actively encourages our students to pursue specialties like MDs rather than primary care.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

That is because Nova is practically an Allopathic school in many ways, my school is the same, our administration even actively encourages our students to pursue specialties like MDs rather than primary care.

For what it is worth a lot of DO schools act this way once you get to the higher mid to top tier. KCU is big on board scores, getting tons of ppl to take the USMLE, and really likes showing off their high match rates in strong specialties.
We also tend to have a very chill attitude to OMM.

 

[Seth Joo]

For what it is worth a lot of DO schools act this way once you get to the higher mid to top tier. KCU is big on board scores, getting tons of ppl to take the USMLE, and really likes showing off their high match rates in strong specialties.
We also tend to have a very chill attitude to OMM.

Would not surprise me, many people go to DO schools because they want to practice traditional Western evidence based medicine and not OMM. There are many schools however that love to indoctrinate their students into OMM and its alleged useful therapeutic value.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Would not surprise me, many people go to DO schools because they want to practice traditional Western evidence based medicine and not OMM. There are many schools however that love to indoctrinate their students into OMM and its alleged useful therapeutic value.

I mean, even our OMM professor seems to be very OMM is complementary and primarily useful for only certain things.

 

[Mad Jack]

UNECOM is big on OMM, and it is taken very seriously here. You aren't expected to go through the motions, but to actually know it cold. A good portion of your grade depends on it.

 

[Seth Joo]

I mean, even our OMM professor seems to be very OMM is complementary and primarily useful for only certain things.

There are some schools that make a very big deal out of OMM so much its becomes a distraction from the other sciences that a student is learning.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

UNECOM is big on OMM, and it is taken very seriously here. You aren't expected to go through the motions, but to actually know it cold. A good portion of your grade depends on it.

KCU's OMM is almost an acting class. You go through the motions of how to preform it and then you explain what you would do.

 

[ortnakas]

@Seth Joo how much are you in OPP lecture/OMM lab at AZCOM? Just curious.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Nova is probably about average for OMT class time. We do 2 hours of lab and one hour of lecture per week in both 1st and 2nd year, all mandatory.

 

[Moose A Moose]

You'd think PCOM with the way they talk about it... Until you find out it's only worth one credit.

 

[hiijakd]

ACOM. I love the emphasis on OMM, and the faculty teaching it are top notch. OMM is another tool for diagnosis and treatment (for some things) so why would you not want to have it available to you. As for those who doubt, I questioned it too until I had my back pain treated.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

ACOM. I love the emphasis on OMM, and the faculty teaching it are top notch. OMM is another tool for diagnosis and treatment (for some things) so why would you not want to have it available to you. As for those who doubt, I questioned it too until I had my back pain treated.

I think at least at some part I think it's because I don't see myself doing OMM treatments over sending patients to a PT. I believe that our medical system is built around the importance of specialization and doctors moving other functions to other practitioners. I mean, sure in a rural scenarios or when the patient has no time or there are no PTs in the area fine, but in a city where your PT might be the next floor?

I mean sure, there are some OMM treatments that are appropriate for a physician to use. But most of these soft tissue pains are going to need long and repeated therapy that only PTs can provide as you as a physician have other duties.

 

[kinzav]

Lets rephrase the question to make it less relative: Which schools have you do more than 2 hours of OMM a week? So far just western and possibly KCOM

Just to confirm KCOM probably averages 2 labs a week at 2 hours each. We have had like 3 lectures on OMM over the passed 3 semesters tho.

 

[Lycian]

When I was a premed I investigated this a lot and asked a variety of leaders in the osteopathic field.
This is basically my understanding at this point:
There are a fair number of schools that have bad OMM programs and just put them in place to fulfill the token OMM requirement but don't actually care about the programs.

TUCOM CA
ATSU Kirksville
NSU
KYCOM Pikesville
are considered to have the best programs

AZCOM
and TUCOM Nevada are considered to have good programs

I would expect CCOM to have a good program since AZCOM's curriculum was copied from it, and azcom has a good program, but I'm not actually sure.

UNE used to have one of the best programs in the country, and now does not because a recent admin in the university gutted it.

As far as specific schools:
I'm at TUCOM CA. I really like the program, the school gives it a lot of support, and there isn't really much that could be done to make it better than it is. TUCOM CA's program is unique in the amount of emphasis it gives to cranial/indirect techniques, which I love but not everyone does.

ATSU Kirksville is the original one and still has a strong push to stay true to Still's vision and be pro OMM.

Pikesville has a guy named Ed Stiles as the chair of their program, who is both a very good DO and a very good teacher, and has thus made Pikesville be known for the quality of its program.

I heard a lot of very good things about NSU's program. The students I know there told me the school in general is also has an extremely fun social life.

AZCOM has a few very good teachers, but the students I know there told me the student support for OMM is not as enthusiastic as say Touro's.

Touro Nevada also has a good program and a few very good faculty. Like AZCOM, I have been told this by both senior people in the OMM field and students there I am friends with.

Hope that was helpful. I most likely missed 2-3 schools with good programs so apologies in advance for that!

 

[osteohack10]

We (DMU) have 1 lab a week (1.5 hours) and generally 1 lecture (1 hour) per week, but that sometimes varies. We don't spend a lot of time weekly on it, but what we do is great instruction with really good faculty and fellows.

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

If you love OMT, you'll love CUSOM

Second this!

 

[Mad Jack]

I think at least at some part I think it's because I don't see myself doing OMM treatments over sending patients to a PT. I believe that our medical system is built around the importance of specialization and doctors moving other functions to other practitioners. I mean, sure in a rural scenarios or when the patient has no time or there are no PTs in the area fine, but in a city where your PT might be the next floor?

I mean sure, there are some OMM treatments that are appropriate for a physician to use. But most of these soft tissue pains are going to need long and repeated therapy that only PTs can provide as you as a physician have other duties.

You can do an OMM treatment in 30 seconds (and charge for it). In a time:benefit ratio, OMM actually pays off if you're in primary care, as it reimburses better minute-per-minute than most of the other stuff you do. Granted, you'll probably have a lot more patients that come in on a more frequent basis, but you get to treat them immediately, they like the treatments, etc etc. Not saying I plan to do it, but given the size of primary care, it could really pay off financially to incorporate it as a DO.