All Osteopathic Clinical Skills (OCS) courses include didactic instruction, demonstrations, practical laboratory experiences, and clinical learning opportunities designed to develop the students understanding of the relationship between structure and function that is fundamental to osteopathic medicine. Through these activities, students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to apply osteopathic principles and integrate appropriate clinical and osteopathic manipulative techniques in the evaluation and management of patient health, disease, and dysfunction.
Concurrently, students learn additional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches within the systems-based curriculum. Each OCS course provides instruction in the principles, philosophy, and history of osteopathic medicine, as well as patient history taking, physical examination, clinical reasoning, and the appropriate selection and application of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). Active participation in laboratory sessions is an essential component of the curriculum, where students develop and demonstrate competency in tactile diagnosis and osteopathic manipulative techniques through supervised hands-on practice with their peers.
The training of an osteopathic physician requires the ability to perform physical examinations and osteopathic manipulative techniques in a professional, safe, and respectful manner. Accordingly, students are required to participate in laboratory activities both as examiners and as examinees and will perform and receive examinations and osteopathic manipulative treatments with classmates under faculty supervision. These educational activities are necessary to ensure that graduates demonstrate the competencies required for the practice of osteopathic medicine and the provision of care to diverse patient populations. Graduates of MCOM are eligible to apply for physician licensure in all fifty states, candidates for graduation must demonstrate the ability to provide appropriate medical evaluation and treatment to all patients regardless of gender identification.
Student safety and professionalism are of primary importance during laboratory and clinical training experiences. All activities are conducted under faculty supervision with expectations for respectful conduct, appropriate draping, and adherence to established safety procedures. Students are expected to promptly notify laboratory faculty of any injury or concern arising during laboratory activities. If a student believes an injury or medical condition limits participation in laboratory activities, the student must inform the supervising faculty member and follow departmental policies and procedures outlined in course syllabi.