Volume 102, Issue 11

Two hundred sixty-five students from four classes at one school of osteopathic medicine were studied to determine the correlation between several frequently used premedical admission criteria to predict performance on the early and current versions of the osteopathic medical licensure examinations. Further analysis evaluated the predictive value of the examination of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) and its successor, the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) in determining subsequent performance in the ascending levels of the examination sequence, as well as to predict performance in the courses and rotations of osteopathic principles and practice (OPP) and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). This study also investigated the relationship between the early and later parts of the osteopathic medical licensure examinations. Analysis showed that of all premedical parameters, only the Medical College Aptitude Test score was positively correlated with performance on COMLEX-USA. In addition, a positive correlation was demonstrated between the performance in either Level 1 of COMLEX-USA or in the earlier form of the NBOME examination Part I and subsequent performance on the current Level 2 of COMLEX-USA or the old NBOME Part II. Finally, analysis indicated that COMLEX-USA predicted performance in OPP knowledge and skills.

Program directors of American Osteopathic Association (AOA)-approved primary care graduate training programs were surveyed concerning the relative importance of 12 academic and 10 nonacademic performance-based variables related to trainee selection. Programs holding both AOA and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approval were also compared to programs holding only AOA approval. Results were compared to a previous osteopathic survey and to similar surveys among allopathic programs. Nonacademic variables remain among those most highly valued by directors, though a possible trend toward the academic variables was perceived. Implications for colleges of osteopathic medicine, program directors, and students are discussed.

In 2001, the authors sent a survey to all 19 schools of osteopathic medicine requesting information about how standardized patients are used for clinical teaching and skills assessment. The purpose of this survey was to identify key people involved in standardized patient programs (SPPs), to gather information on the resources allocated by osteopathic medical schools, to determine the "state of the art" of standardized patient teaching and assessment in osteopathic medical schools, and to assess which SPPs would be available to assist in the development of the new component of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners licensing examination, the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Performance Evaluation. The survey results revealed that 12 osteopathic medical schools have SPPs that teach and assess clinical skills, including history taking; physical examination (complete and focused); genital, rectal, and breast examinations; physician-patient communication, osteopathic manipulative medicine or osteopathic manipulative treatment. Details of the 12 schools' SPPs are highlighted.

A review of the Basic Standards for Residency Training in Osteopathic Family Practice and Manipulative Treatment by the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians revealed that the family medicine residency curriculum in place at Riverside Osteopathic Hospital in Trenton, Mich, lacked formal didactic and clinical teaching in geriatric medicine. Therefore, a geriatric curriculum focusing on functional assessment strategies was developed and implemented. A three-part, 6-hour educational series was delivered to family medicine residents, interns, and medical students at Riverside Osteopathic Hospital. Content for the sessions addressed a variety of assessment and screening tools; concepts of abuse, neglect, and guardianship; available community resources to support the independent functioning of older adults; and, application of knowledge and skills. The geriatric medicine series concluded with a working session to prepare an individualized management plan for each of the patients evaluated. Each family medicine resident, the target learners, demonstrated his skill at performing a functional assessment of a geriatric patient at the community-based Horizon Family Medical Center in Taylor, Mich. Peers and faculty provided feedback. Family medicine residents were able to transfer knowledge and skills from the classroom to a geriatric patient. This teaching curriculum is the starting point for further development of clinical and community-based geriatric experiences for the family medicine residents at Riverside Osteopathic Hospital.

Evaluation of faculty development programs for medical educators has often focused on the satisfaction of individual learners. Long-term outcomes of skills and knowledge acquired during faculty development programs have been more difficult to evaluate. The impact on the institutions where the "developed" faculty teaches has been even less studied. This article discusses the results of a survey that focused on the institutional impact of a year-long part-time faculty development fellowship program for community-based physician faculty. The Statewide Campus System of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SCS MSU-COM) faculty development program conducted a survey of its graduates to ascertain the impact on the educational processes in their home institutions and the impact of the program on the graduates as medical educators. Responding graduates reported increased use of educational concepts and greater participation in the educational activities of their home institutions. The study demonstrates that a faculty development program addressing the needs of community-based physician faculty changes the perceptions of participants as medical educators and appears to have a positive impact on the educational process in their home institutions.