Osteopathic Medicine, DO

Interprofessional Education and Interprofessional Practice

Interprofessional education (IPE) and Interprofessional Practice (IPP) are integrated within the ATSU-SOMA curriculum as a series of classroom workshops and clinical activities designed to foster a team approach to patient care, with an emphasis on the triple aim. The following SOMA courses practice IPE skills:

• OMS I: Basic Science Foundations, Medical Skills, Neuro-musculoskeletal (NMSK)
• OMS II: Epidemiology-Biostatistics, Medical Skills
• OMS III: Pediatrics Clerkship, Family Medicine Clerkship
• OMS IV: Emergency Medicine Clerkship, Cardiology Clerkship

Students are promoted to each level of the curriculum (e.g., OMS I to OMS II) by meeting the requirements for progression (unless an exception is made by the Dean). Listed below are brief overviews of the structure of the didactic and clinical training along with the requirements that must be met to formally progress through the curriculum.

Year 1 (OMS I)

The OMS I curriculum is conducted primarily on the Mesa, Arizona campus. Learning activities are usually scheduled between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Occasionally, there may be required off-site activities or required activities that begin at 7:00 a.m., end after 5:00 p.m., or occur on a weekend. The online OMS I master academic calendar contains information concerning holidays and examinations. Each course syllabus contains course requirements and due dates for course assignments.

Requirements for progression to OMS II

• Pass all OMS I coursework and maintain good academic standing.
• Comply with all professionalism standards of behavior and SOMA technical standards.
• Maintain health insurance, disability insurance, BLS certification and current immunization standards.

Year 2 (OMS II)

The OMS II curriculum is conducted primarily at a student’s assigned CHC community campus. OMS II coursework consists of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities that include a combination of didactic, clinical, and patient care experiences which reinforce and enhance the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired during the OMS I year. Learning activities are usually scheduled between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Occasionally, there may be required off-site activities or required activities that begin at 7:00 a.m., end after 5:00 p.m., or occur on a weekend. The online OMS II master academic calendar contains information concerning holidays, synchronous activities across all community campuses, and examinations. Each course syllabus contains course requirements and due dates for course assignments. Additionally, each community campus provides a weekly schedule of clinical experiences, medical skills, small group, OPP, and other assigned activities.

Clinical Assignments and Responsibilities

On occasion, students will be given the opportunity to perform clinical procedures. Students are authorized to perform procedures for which they have been trained, with the proviso that they are properly supervised. In all cases, the safety and comfort of the patient must come first. Should you have questions about your participation in any clinical procedure or activity, contact the local RDME or Clinical Education Department prior to proceeding.

The student will realize the importance of punctuality and fulfilling responsibility in completing clinical assignments given by the supervisor. It is recommended that students assure they are familiar with the location, personnel, practices and expectations of the sites they are assigned to. Punctuality and professional conduct are expected at all times. Should you have concerns that you are working too few or too many hours, contact your RDME as soon as possible.

Requirements for progression to OMS III

Students are classified as OMS III upon completion of the following the requirements:

• Pass all OMS II coursework and maintain good academic standing
• Comply with all professionalism standards of behavior and SOMA technical standards
• Maintain health insurance, disability insurance, BLS certification and current immunization standards
• Obtain ACLS certification

Students are not permitted to begin OMS III required coursework until COMLEX Level 1 has been taken.

Year 3 (OMS III)

Rotations are scheduled in four-week blocks, with the exception of the Elective II, which is a two-week experience. All rotations are required. In the OMS III year, eight are Core rotations. The remaining are a Primary Care Selective, Maternal and Child Health Selective (the selective may be distributed to either Obstetrics and Gynecology or Pediatrics or Maternal and Child Health as per the Clinical Education Manual), a four-week Elective and a two-week Elective. The student works directly with the RDME and the Mesa-based regional Clinical Education Coordinator in all matters related to the clerkship years. This is the student’s opportunity to explore their interest in clinical medicine and hone their skills in preparation of the OMS IV year. In addition to the study materials and expectations of the individual clerkship attending or preceptor, each Core rotation has a SOMA clerkship director who develops and oversees the clerkship didactic materials and academic objectives. The SOMA Clerkship Director posts and maintains all SOMA clerkship materials on the learning management system. The Clinical Education Department oversees the OMS III clerkship year.

International Rotations

International rotations are Elective rotations defined as rotations occurring in any location outside the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. US territories will be considered international rotations and will require special approval by the university and completion of an application for international rotation. International rotations may not be used as Core or Selective rotations. International rotations are typically only approved for OMS IV year students. However, an international rotation may be approved for an OMS III student if all Core and Selective rotations have been successfully completed. International rotations must be a minimum of four weeks and a maximum of eight weeks total. To schedule an international rotation, students must follow the procedures outlined in the Clinical Education Manual and SOMA International Rotation Packet.

Requirements for progression to OMS IV

• Pass all OMS III coursework and maintain good academic standing.
• Comply with all professionalism standards of behavior and SOMA technical standards.
• Maintain health insurance, disability insurance, BLS and ACLS certification, and current immunization standards.

Year 4 (OMS IV)

Rotations are scheduled in four-week blocks, except for Neurology, which is a two-week rotation. This is the academic year where the student has four Core rotations, four Selectives and three Electives. This is the year to experience an International rotation, schedule audition rotations or spend more time in one area of practice. A maximum combination of four Electives/Selectives in one discipline may be taken in OMS IV. In addition to the study materials and expectations of the individual clerkship attending or preceptor, each Core rotation has a SOMA Clerkship Director who develops and oversees the clerkship didactic materials and academic objectives. The SOMA Clerkship Director posts and maintains all SOMA clerkship materials on the learning management system. Students work directly with their RDME and the regional Clinical Education Coordinator in scheduling and maintaining their academic schedule. The Clinical Education Department oversees the OMS IV clerkship year.

A typical course schedule consists of the following. Additional course options may be available and listed below under Other Courses.

End-of-Rotation Examinations are required after each Core Rotation. SOMA currently uses the NBOME COMAT examination for the OMS III year and Emergency Medicine in the OMS IV year, and Board Vitals Examinations for the remaining Core Rotations in the OMS IV year. These electronic examinations are to be scheduled for and taken on the last day of the rotation (usually a Friday). For the OMS III, these examinations are to be taken for Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, OB/Gyn, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery. In addition, the OPP COMAT must be taken and passed in the second semester of the OMS III year. See the OPP syllabus for further requirements. For the OMS IV, these Core Rotations are Cardiology, Critical Care, Neurology, and Emergency Medicine. The student must have engaged in the rotation prior to being eligible to sit for the post-rotation exam at the completion of that rotation, and not before. If a student anticipates they will not be able to take the examination on the last day of the rotation, they may petition the Director, Clinical Education Department for an extension. Should a student fail a post-rotation examination, retakes must be completed within 30 days of the original failure, and approved by the Associate Dean for Clinical Education and Services prior to that retake.

The Pre-doctoral Osteopathic Teaching Fellowship is a unique opportunity which expands the medical training period from four to five years by including one twelve (12)-month Fellowship time period. The Fellowship is composed of 2 courses that are each 66 credits, or 11 credit hours per month. The Fellowship credit hours are not transferable to any other course or program within SOMA. The goals of the course include providing opportunities for focused special training in teaching, research, and clinical activities in the discipline areas of Anatomy, Medical Skills, and Osteopathic Principles and Practices.
Students must meet the following criteria to apply for the Osteopathic Teaching Fellowship:

1. Must be in good standing and provide a letter of good standing from ATSU SOMA
2. Must have successfully completed OMS I and OMS II years
3. Must submit a letter of intent, and two letters of recommendations (1 from a SOMA faculty member)

All OMS III coursework must be completed prior to the start of the Fellowship.

With ATSU’s dual DO/MPH program, students earn their Master of Public Health (MPH) through ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies (ATSU-CGHS) while completing their doctor of osteopathic medicine degree at ATSU-SOMA. Students trained in ATSU-SOMA’s innovative community campus model will be well prepared for a medical career in public health venues. The MPH requires additional courses completed online via ATSU-CGHS. Applications to the MPH program are accepted toward the end of the students’ first year at ATSU-SOMA.

After earning their DO and MPH degrees students will be able to do the following and more:

• Analyze issues of access, quality, and cost for populations, communities, and individuals
• Evaluate social determinants of health and health disparities at your community health center and beyond
• Hypothesize reasons for observed disparities
• Create interventions to address health disparities
• Design research studies to address health disparities
• Compare and contrast research methodologies
• Critically appraise public health and medical literature
• Define health literacy and apply its concepts to health promotion and disease prevention programs
• Apply knowledge and skills acquired from the curriculum and complete an academic paper suitable for publication
• Present research findings at national meetings
• Evaluate health promotion and disease prevention programs from a variety of perspectives

Students must meet the following criteria to apply for the DO/MPH dual degree:

• Must have attended the introductory presentation by the Program Director or have had a meeting with the Program Director to ensure they are informed of the rigor of a dual degree program.
• Must be in good academic standing
• Must have no course failures during the OMS I year
• Must not be identified as At Risk according to the SOMA catalog description

Once these criteria have been met, a letter of support must be obtained for the student from the SOMA Dean. The student may then apply online via the ATSU website. There is no admission fee for potential DO/MPH students.