Core Values of Osteopathic Medicine: The DO Difference
As medicine has changed and improved over the years, so has the practice of osteopathic medicine. Yet, many of the original values of osteopathic medicine are found within the SWAGÊÓƵcurriculum. This includesÌýour focus on the patient rather than the disease, and the importance of human touch in diagnosing and treating the patient.
Osteopathic physicians (DOs) and allopathic physicians (MDs) are the only two types of physicians who are trained and licensed to practice the full scope of medicine, including prescribing medications and performing surgery.
While osteopathic physicians enter every specialty, the missionÌýandÌýcurriculum at SWAGÊÓƵprepares the student to be a primary care physician first. This training providesÌýa strong foundation for any specialty a student may choose.Ìý
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Osteopathic Medicine and Education Today
- 149,000 physicians are currently practicing osteopathic medicine in the United States (2023).
- 60% of all osteopathic physicians enter primary care.
- Osteopathic physicians currently care for more than 35 million Americans.
- Physicians are more likely to practice osteopathic medicine in small communities and rural areas.
- 41 osteopathic medical schools and 65 branch campuses that enroll more than 35,000 students are located within the United States (2023).
- The recognizes only those schools that provide four years of training leading to the full scope of the practice of medicine. Each school is accredited by the of the AOA. COCA is the only accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for pre-doctoral osteopathic medical education.
- In addition to the COCA accreditation, SWAGÊÓƵand other Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine must receive approval from their state boards for education.
The Healing Power of Osteopathic Medicine in Practice
Osteopathic training goes far beyond sharpening the healer's mind and heart, becauseÌýit involves instruction in a compassionate and knowledgeable touch. In addition to the core curriculum found in all medical schools, SWAGÊÓƵstudents benefit from hundreds of additional hours in the practice unique to the osteopathic profession – osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM).
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What is Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM)?
OMM training gives SWAGÊÓƵstudents the education and practical experience required to evaluate and treat patients using safe and effective osteopathic manipulative techniques for a variety of medical conditions. These include but are not limited to: low back pain, joint pain, neck pain, headaches, post-surgical ileus, gastrointestinal conditions, and respiratory problems. The SWAGÊÓƵcurriculumÌýintegrates the osteopathic musculoskeletal exam within the physical diagnosis course. ThisÌýassures that every student possesses the skills to fully evaluate each patient with visual, auditory, and palpatory skill.
SWAGÊÓƵhas an 8:1 student-to-professor ratio of board certified faculty physicians who are trained and experienced in osteopathic manipulationÌýwith a wide variety of specialties, including: family medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, internal medicine, sports medicine and neuromusculoskeletal medicine.
Senior SWAGÊÓƵstudents in their clinical years of training (years 3 and 4) also return to assist in training their junior classmates. TheyÌýalso refine their skills through monthly conferences/labs detailing advanced concepts and techniques, and through their clinical training on rotations.
At the conclusion of their second and third years of training, students undergo comprehensive and rigorous evaluation in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). This evaluates not only their clinical training in the office assessment and management of patients, but also their interpretation of laboratory results, medical tests (such as X-rays, MRIs and EKGs), and practical skills such as performing physical examinations, suturing, casting/splinting, and performing OMM.Ìý
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SWAGÊÓƵStudents Highly RegardedÌýin Osteopathic Education
Such training has resulted inÌýSWAGÊÓƵstudents not only being willing to, but capable ofÌýdelivering high-quality OMM to their patients. SWAGÊÓƵstudents lead the way in providing OMM treatments at national conferences, and are sought for demonstrations by students and physicians at other osteopathic colleges. Healthcare professionals across the country recognize the brilliant orange, maroon and blue of the SWAGÊÓƵbadge on the white coat of our students as a symbol of excellence in osteopathic manipulative and clinical medicine. As evidence of this, SWAGÊÓƵstudents have won national awards from the Undergraduate American Association of Osteopathy (UAAO).