Implementation of an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic at an allopathic teaching hospital: a research-based experience

Abstract

Mastery of osteopathic palpatory skills and the skilled delivery of osteopathic manipulative treatment is a life-long venture that demands from practitioners increasingly sophisticated manual skills. Specific receptors and neural networks within the brain allow for the gradual development of refined manual skills that parallel responsive alterations and refinements that develop with repeated experience. During clinical training, most graduates of colleges of osteopathic medicine are not given opportunities to hone their palpatory skills. This is unfortunate because there is an increasing public demand for the nonpharmacologic treatment modalities osteopathic physicians could supply. At Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Mass, a major teaching affiliate of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, the authors assembled a team of osteopathic and allopathic physicians to found an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic. In this article, the authors share their experience in the creation of this research-based osteopathic medical clinic.

Resident and Faculty Attitudes Toward Osteopathic-Focused Education

“…is consistent with findings from previous studies. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Nearly 30% of respondents were MDs, which confirms an interest in osteopathic education among our MD colleagues in the residency programs surveyed.…”

“…In 2001, Johnson and Kurtz 14 expressed concern that an unintended consequence of osteopathic students and The importance of DO mentors and osteopathic training during medical school and residency has been examined, [3][4][5]12,13,15 with the finding that residents and students who are exposed to osteopathic mentors and training in settings that incorporate OPP are more likely to perform OMT in their practice. In the current study, The transition to the single accreditation system is at a pivotal point for the osteopathic medical profession to institute osteopathic curricula and provide role models for osteopathic medical students and residents along the educational continuum.…”

“…2 A growing body of literature demonstrates that MDs are interested in osteopathic principles and practice (OPP), including osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). [3][4][5][6][7][8] In January 2017, Levine 9 reported that 17% of applications for OR were from ACGME-accredited programs. Allee et al 3 The interested MD medical students rotate through the UMKC OMT clinic during their first clinical year, and many demonstrate interest in further opportunities to learn OMT as another tool to benefit their patients.…”