This week we welcomed Ying Wu, a third year medical student (OMS III) from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a student of Osteopathic Medicine, Ying learns Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), a skillset which involves using the hands to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. An essential objective in osteopathic medicine is to bring the body into alignment; osteopathic physicians can use OMM to do so, and move the muscles and joints to properly align the body and help it work more efficiently. When they realign bones, they are also affecting the connected muscles and fascia, which highlights the interconnectedness of our bodies.
An example that Ying gave about the importance of body alignment is likely familiar to us all. When looking down at phones or laptops, the head and neck move forward into a position called the anterior head carriage. As a result, the upper back rounds and adopts a hunchback posture. With prolonged time in this position, muscles will become overstretched and weakened, leading to tightness and tenderness in the muscles that run across the top of the shoulders (upper trapezius) and along the sides of the neck (cervical paraspinal). In short, neck and shoulder pain will ensue.
The Four Tenets of Osteopathy
1) The body is a unit: mind, body, and spirit
2) The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance
3) Structure of function are reciprocally interrelated
4) Rational treatment is based upon an understanding of the basic principles of body unity, self-regulation, and the inter-relationship of structure and function
How DOs (Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine) Vary From MDs (Doctors of Medicine)?
Both of these physicians…
can diagnose, prescribe medication, and treat diseases and disorders of the human body
can perform surgery and specialize
learn evidence-based treatments
DOs...
practice osteopathic medicine, which views patients more holistically to diagnose them, and do not treat symptoms alone
learn more about anatomy and neuromuscular subjects as a result of their OMM training.
can now apply for the same residencies as their MD (Doctor of Medicine) counterparts
take COMLEX as their first board exam
can integrate OMM into their practice or not
MDs...
practice allopathic medicine, and focus on diagnosing and treating diseases
do not learn OMM
take the USMLE as their first board exam
If you have any questions or would like to talk with Ying more, feel free to email her: ywu58@nyit.edu
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