Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine 
PCOM, PCOM Georgia, and PCOM South Georgia

Introduction to Osteopathic Medicine

As a philosophy, science and art, osteopathic medicine is a total approach to health and disease. It recognizes that the neuromusculoskeletal system is of major importance to human life. The interrelationship between this and other body-systems is a basic part of osteopathic philosophy. An emphasis on primary care, health maintenance, prevention of disease and attention to the neuromusculoskeletal system is key to osteopathic medical education and practice. Universally accepted today, these attributes were considered unorthodox when Dr. Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917) objected to the crude medications of his time and sought to enhance the body’s inherent healing through manipulation.

The osteopathic physician incorporates evaluation and treatment of the musculoskeletal system as a basis for an approach to health and disease, combining it with the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities used by general scientific approaches to the healing arts. Like their MD counterparts, DOs must be licensed in the states where they practice, and additional board certification in specialties further underscores their professional credentials. All 50 states and the District of Columbia provide for the unlimited practice of medicine and surgery by osteopathic physicians. Licensing boards are usually composed of senior members of the osteopathic profession. In some states, MDs and DOs participate in combined licensing boards.

THE OSTEOPATHIC PHILOSOPHY

This philosophy provides the osteopathic physician with a unique way of looking at health and disease. These premises include the following: 

• The human body is a unit in which structure and function are reciprocally interdependent. 

• The body, through a complex system, tends to be self-regulating and self-healing. 

• The adequate function of body systems depends on the unimpeded flow of blood and nerve impulses. 

• The musculoskeletal system is a major body system, and its importance exceeds that of mere framework and support. 

• There are musculoskeletal components to disease that are not only manifestations of the disease, but also important contributing and maintaining factors. 

The adoption of these basic premises led to the development of the osteopathic total-body concept. The patient is considered as part of their relationship to their psycho-, social, economic, and physical environment rather than as an isolated unit. Instead of emphasizing the momentary disease state, the osteopathic approach studies and treats the person’s well-being, lifestyle and behavior as a whole. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

The program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree is guided by the following goals for the purpose of providing a comprehensive and contemporary curriculum to educate health professionals to care for the whole person, advance the health of diverse communities and participate in the ever-changing environment. The curriculum seeks to: 

• Integrate and appropriately sequence basic and clinical science material 

• Present major themes in biomedicine 

• Integrate early clinical experiences and case studies, and emphasize problem-solving to increase the application of knowledge-based issues to issues of patient care 

• Utilize methods in information technology and informatics 

• Participate in inter-professional education activities. 

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS 

Each candidate for the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine must: 

• Maintain established standards of personal and professional conduct

• Successfully fulfill all academic and  clinical requirements

• Pass COMLEX Level 1, Level 2 CE  (National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners). 

All requirements must be completed within six years from the first date of matriculation.  

Each graduate must be free of indebtedness to the College. Those students who have received financial aid are required to complete the exit interview on-line process at least one week prior to commencement. The College academic transcript will be given when all financial obligations to PCOM and the exit interview have been met

Note: It is the responsibility of the graduate to fulfill the requirements for practice for the state licensing board in the state in which he or she chooses to practice. These requirements vary widely and are regulated by the laws of each state. It is the responsibility of the graduate to get the information needed pertaining to state licensing and to fulfill these responsibilities. 

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Term 1		Hours
Fall
DO 100	Cellular and Biochemical Foundations of Medicine	6
DO 101	Infection and Immunity	6
DO 114A	Medical Humanities and Wellness I	0.5
DO 139A	Osteopathic Principles and Practice I	2
DO 140A	Primary Care Skills I	1
DO 144A	Clinical Reasoning in Basic Science IA	1
INDP 100A	Inter Professional Education	0.5
DO 106	Foundations of Research	1
	Hours	18
Term 2
Winter
DO 104	Foundations of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Medicine	3.5
DO 105	Foundations of Renal, Endocrine, and Gastrointestinal Medicine	3.5
DO 112	Foundations of Physiology and the Musculoskeletal System	4
DO 114B	Medical Humanities and Wellness II	0.5
DO 139B	Osteopathic Principles and Practice II	1.5
DO 140B	Primary Care Skills II	1
DO 144B	Clinical Reasoning in Basic Science IB	1
INDP 100B	Inter Professional Education	0.5
	Hours	15.5
Term 3
Spring
DO 107	Foundations of Reproductive and Genitourinary Medicine	2
DO 108	Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat and Neuroscience	4
DO 109	Introduction to Human Disease and Therapeutics	5.5
DO 114C	Medical Humanities and Wellness III	0.5
DO 139C	Osteopathic Principles and Practice III	1.5
DO 140C	Primary Care Skills III	1
DO 144C	Clinical Reasoning in Basic Science IC	1
INDP 100C	Inter Professional Education	0.5
Total Hours 49.5
	Hours	16
	Total Hours	49.5

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Second Year Courses
DO 146A	Comprehensive Basic Science Review and Synthesis IA	1.5
DO 146B	Comprehensive Basic Science Review and Synthesis IB	1.5
DO 146C	Comprehensive Basic Science Review and Synthesis IC	1.5
DO 215	Clinical Approach to Psychiatry	2.5
DO 218	Clinical Approach to Gastroenterology	3.5
DO 226	Clinical Approach to Hematology and Oncology	2
DO 228	Clinical Approach to Cardiovascular and Renal Medicine	5.5
DO 229	Clinical Approach to Pulmonary Medicine	3.5
DO 230	Clinical Approach to Neuroscience and Neurology	5
DO 239A	Osteopathic Principles and Practice IV	1.5
DO 239B	Osteopathic Principles and Practice V	1
DO 239C	Osteopathic Principles and Practice VI	1.5
DO 240A	Primary Care Skills IV	1
DO 240B	Primary Care Skills V	1
DO 240C	Primary Care Skills VI	1.5
DO 246	Medical Ethics	1
DO 248	Clinical Approach to Endocrinology and Disorders of Metabolism	3
DO 250	Clinical Approach to Reproductive Genitourinary and Obstetrical Medicine	5.5
DO 259	Clinical Approach to Musculoskeletal Medicine and Dermatology	3
DO 261	Preventive Medicine and Public Health	1
INDP 200A	Inter Professional Education	0.5
INDP 200B	Inter Professional Education	0.5
INDP 200C	Inter Professional Education	0.5
Total Credits: 98.5

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Third Year (12 Months): Georgia Campuses
M3 Required Rotations
DO 310G	Family Medicine Rotation	17
DO 312G	OMM Family Medicine	17
DO 313G	General Internal Medicine Rotation	17
DO 314G	IM Cardiology Rotation	17
or DO 314AG	IM Ambulatory
DO 315G	Obstetrics and Gynecology Rotation	17
DO 316G	Pediatric Rotation	17
DO 317G	Psychiatry Rotation	17
DO 319G	General Surgery Rotation	17
DO 320G	Surgery Subspecialty Rotation	17
DO 321G	Internal Medicine Subspecialty Rotation	17
Elective Rotations
Maximum M3 Year Elective Credits		34
Minimum Required M3 Total Credits: 187

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Third Year (12 Months): Philadelphia Campus
M3 Required Rotations
DO 310	Family Medicine Rotation	17
DO 312	OMM Family Medicine	8.5
or DO 312A	OMM Family Medicine Selective
DO 313	General Internal Medicine Rotation	17
DO 314	Internal Medicine Cardiology Rotation	17
DO 315	Obstetrics and Gynecology Rotation	17
DO 316	Pediatric Rotation	17
DO 317	Psychiatry Rotation	17
DO 319	General Surgery Rotation	17
DO 320	Surgery Subspecialty Rotation	17
DO 321	Internal Medicine Subspecialty Rotation	17
DO 322	Advanced Clinical Skills Radiology Rotation (Philadelphia Only)	8.5
Elective Rotations
Maximum M3 Year Elective Credits		34
Minimum Required M3 Credits = 187
Fourth Year (12 Months): All Campuses
DO 392	Clerkship Elective ((8))	136
DO 412	Osteopathic Primary Care Sub Internship	17
DO 410	Critical Complex Care Inpatient Clerkship	17
DO 415	Emergency Medicine Rotation	17
Total M4 Credits = 187

Third and Fourth Year Clinical Clerkship Curriculum

Twenty-two 17 credit-equivalent clerkship rotations are required between the M3 and M4 years for a total of 374 credits.
M3 Required Rotations = 170 Credits
M4 Required Rotations = 51 Credits
Elective Rotations = 153 Credits

During M3 and M4 years, students will be involved in inter-professional education sessions with Physician Assistant, Clinical PsyD, Mental Health Counseling, and School PsyD students.

Each 17 credit rotation requires 240 contact hours

The Basic Sciences and Pre-Clinical Years

Students at the Philadelphia campus will be assigned to clinical clerkships throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Students at PCOM Georgia and South Georgia are assigned to clinical clerkships throughout Georgia and the Southeast. 

This unique training network comprises affiliated hospitals, numerous outpatient units, and scores of physicians’ offices. These clinical settings become teaching arms of the College; in effect, our partners are our campus. The program is designed to afford progressive student responsibility in all phases of patient care under the direction of experienced physicians and health care providers. This includes history taking, physical examinations, daily patient rounds, lectures, conferences, case presentations, and online blended learning for all core rotations. 

Students rotate through services in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Surgery, Cardiology, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Underserved Primary Care. On elective clerkships, students may choose to pursue special interests at other medical institutions anywhere across the nation.  

DO/MBA PROGRAM (Philadelphia Campus)

In conjunction with Saint Joseph’s University, a master of business administration degree in health and medical services may be earned by DO program students who concurrently complete a five year course of study for the DO and MBA degrees. Created in 1989 as the nation’s first DO/MBA degree, the curriculum requires approximately 39-45 hours of MBA coursework. The MBA program is completed during a one-year leave from medical study, following the third year of medical school. This program responds to the increasing need for business acumen in medical practice. It also prepares physicians for a wide range of emerging careers in medical administration.

Students who are interested in business administration but do not wish to enroll in the full MBA program may complete a 5-course Graduate Business Certificate during the fourth year of medical school. The Saint Joseph’s University MBA is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business(AACSB). Approval for admissions into the dual degree DO/MBA or graduate Business Certificate Program must be received by PCOM’s Director of Dual Degree Programs & Biomedical Science Specialty Concentrations in the School of Health Sciences and SJU admissions team.

DO/MPH Program (Philadelphia Campus)

Students may choose to enroll in a DO/MPH program in affiliation with Jefferson School of Population Health, which provides a 36-credit program that includes core public health disciplines in behavioral and social sciences, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health services and health policy. The Jefferson DO/MPH program is a five year program. The MPH is completed during a one-year leave from medical study following the third year of medical school. Approval for admissions into the dual degree DO/MPH program must be reviewed by PCOM’s Director of Dual Degree Programs & Biomedical Science Specialty Concentrations in the School of Health Sciences and Thomas Jefferson University admissions team.

Students may also enter a special joint degree program in affiliation with Temple University, leading to a master of public health degree. The DO/MPH program is a five year program.  The MPH program is completed during a one year leave from medical study following the third year of medical school. Approval for admissions into the dual degree DO/MPH program at Temple University must be reviewed by PCOM’s Director of Dual Degree Programs & Biomedical Science Specialty Concentrations in the School of Health Sciences and Temple University admissions team.

DO/MS in Forensic Medicine (Philadelphia and PCOM Georgia)

Students who have successfully completed their first year of medical study at PCOM may enter a special dual degree program provided by PCOM’s Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine. Students complete forensic medicine graduate work through Philadelphia campus weekend courses and online instruction during an extended sophomore medical year; the DO and MS program is five years in length. The program provides a core foundation in the theory, principles, ethics, professional practice and legal aspects of forensic medicine. Students acquire skills in the technical aspects of death scene investigation, identifying, preserving and protecting custody of forensic evidence, differentiating accidental and intentional injuries in both living and dead persons, and determining potential forensic value of written and photographic records. The program also provides skills in the interpretation of research in forensics and skills in utilizing information technology to access information in the forensic sciences.

Graduate Medical Education - Philadelphia Campus

Graduate medical education is the crucial step of professional development between medical school and autonomous clinical practice. It is in this vital phase of the continuum of osteopathic medical education that residents learn to provide optimal patient care under the supervision of faculty members. PCOM offers residency and fellowship programs to further the osteopathic medical education of physicians.