Program Level Educational Objectives

Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)

Candidates must be able to demonstrate knowledge of osteopathic principles and practice, and to demonstrate and apply knowledge of somatic dysfunction diagnosis and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment in the clinical setting. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of OPP and OMT, and apply it to all patients, especially those in underserved areas.
Apply knowledge of OPP and OMT across clinical settings.
Describe the concepts of body unity and interrelationship of body structure and function in the delivery of whole person heath care.
Describe how the human body’s self-healing and self-regulatory mechanisms affect treatment options.
Articulate the scientific knowledge supporting the use of OPP and OMT, including the basic science of the mechanisms and evidence-based clinical application of OMT in the diagnosis and treatment of somatic dysfunction in the various regions of the body.
Name and describe the indirect and direct types of OMT, identifying their indications and contraindications, and articulating their relative value, advantages and disadvantages.

Osteopathic Patient Care

Provide patient-centered care that is culturally responsive, compassionate, and appropriate for the effective treatment of illness and promotion of health. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Obtain a complete and focused patient history, to include belief systems, and psycho-social and cultural issues, and integrate this information into the comprehensive care of the patient, without respect to age, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed religion, handicap, or national origin.
Provide patient-centered care that is culturally responsive, compassionate, osteopathically oriented, and appropriate for the effective treatment of illness, prevention of disease and promotion of health.
Conduct relevant, complete, and focused physical and mental status examinations.
Perform osteopathic structural examination and OMT as well as other common medical procedures with attention to patient safety and comfort.
Provide appropriate initial care for identified life-threatening medical conditions.
Engage patients and family members as partners in their own health care through effective patient education and counseling.
Integrate OPP and OMT into the treatment, management, and prevention of illnesses.
Demonstrate the ability to incorporate health promotion, screening, and disease prevention into the care of patients.

Medical Knowledge for Osteopathic Medical Practice

Demonstrate an understanding and application of the evolving osteopathic, biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, biomechanical, and cognate (e.g. epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences to optimize patient care. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Apply the scientific basis of the normal structure, development, function, and relationships among the organ systems of the body to concepts of health and disease.
Apply principles of pathophysiology to diseases and disorders.
Apply pharmacological principles to medical therapeutics.
Appraise the role of normal human biological, cognitive, psychological, and behavioral development across the lifespan as determinants of health and illness.
Accurately interpret the clinical, laboratory, pathologic and radiologic manifestations of health and common diseases.
Engage in a systematic approach to clinical reasoning to solve clinical problems in the context of osteopathic principles.
Apply the scientific foundations of medicine to the practice of evidence-based medicine.
Recognize indications and contraindications of medical therapeutics, complementary, alternative, integrative medical treatments, and surgery options
Describe the principles of the scientific method and translational research as they apply to caring for patients.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement in Osteopathic Medicine

Demonstrate the ability to continuously evaluate patient care practices, scientific evidence and personal beliefs and biases as they relate to improving the care of patients and optimizing patient outcomes. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Utilize fundamental epidemiologic concepts, clinical decision-making skills, evidence-based medicine principles and practices, and biomedical informatics resources to locate and evaluate the relevance, validity and clinical significance of research information.
Develop a systematic methodology for integrating practice-based improvements into one's own clinical practice.
Critically appraise the effectiveness of diagnostic testing and therapeutic interventions.
Employ strategies for seeking out and integrating feedback from patients and colleagues to identify competency in performance, selecting appropriate educational opportunities to correct deficits and improve performance.
Utilize self-reflection as a method of continuous self-assessment to enhance self-awareness through identification of one's own strengths and challenges in order to improve one's performance and guide life-long learning.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills in the Practice of Osteopathic Medicine

Demonstrate the ability to consistently interact respectfully, empathetically, and professionally with patients, families, allied health care providers, staff, and colleagues, to optimize patient outcomes. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Establish positive, professional, and productive relationships with patients, the patients’ families, and other members of health care team through respectful and effective information exchange.
Demonstrate appropriate strategies for engaging patients and their families in difficult conversations (e.g. end-of-life, medical errors, serious diagnosis, etc.).
Demonstrate an awareness of the patient's cultural and spiritual beliefs, and health literacy level across all interactions and communications.
Demonstrate shared decision-making techniques when communicating with patients, families and allied healthcare providers.
Effectively negotiate conflicts within the health care team to optimize patient outcomes.

Professionalism in the Practice of Osteopathic Medicine

Demonstrate a commitment to the highest standards of professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles and cultural responsiveness to diverse beliefs and customs. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of the behavioral and social science concepts that fortify the professional behaviors and attitudes (e.g. humanistic behaviors; responsiveness to the needs of patients that supersedes self-interest; accountability to patients, society and the profession, etc.).
Demonstrate a commitment to personal excellence and ongoing professional development through lifelong learning.
Demonstrate respect for patients, families, allied health care providers, staff and colleagues, etc.through the consistent application of ethical principles in practice and research.
Promote the ethical behavior of peers and organizations.
Identify personal and professional conflicts of interest.
Demonstrate a spirit of progressive cooperation with colleagues and show respect for their rightful practices.
Acknowledge the contribution of those who have taught them their art.
Recognize signs and symptoms of physician impairment, and utilize wellness resources available.

Science of Health Care Delivery and Systems-Based Practice in Osteopathic Medicine

Demonstrate an awareness of and responsibility to the larger context and system of health care, and effectively utilize its available resources to provide optimal health care and value to the individual patient and local and global communities. (Note: the Systems-Based Practice in Osteopathic Medicine NBOME competency has been expanded upon to meet additional UIWSOM-specific educational objectives pertaining to the science of health care delivery), Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Describe the larger environment in which health care occurs (e.g. payment, regulatory, legal and educational systems).
Describe and analyze how health care is currently organized, financed and delivered.
Identify the resources of the health care system in order to maximize the health of the individual and the community-at-large, especially in the context of underserved areas.
Describe the role of advocacy and health care policy in improving patient care and optimizing patient outcomes.
Provide assistance to patients and family members in understanding applicable healthcare benefits, coverage limits, and utilization management procedures.
Synthesize information concerning the health of patient populations and communities to identify needs and plan appropriate supportive interventions.
Apply principles of evidence-based, cost-conscious and cost-effective health care to optimize patient outcomes.
Delineate those components of the health care system that create barriers to access and lead to disparities in health care provision.
Analyze the current organization, financing and delivery of health care in the U.S.
Describe the role of medical jurisprudence (with a focus on industry relationships) as it relates to conflicts of interest in the health care system.
Employ telehealth applications to ensure patient access to appropriate care and to deliver healthcare.

Social Accountability in the Practice of Osteopathic Medicine

Prioritize and address community health outcomes through civic engagement, ethical leadership and global social responsibility while delivering equitable and sustainable health care based on the tenets of social accountability. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Define, explain and apply the principle of social accountability in the practice of osteopathic medicine in clinical and community settings.
Define, explain and apply principles of social justice to healthcare in the practice of osteopathic medicine in clinical and community settings.
Identify, explain and apply the osteopathic physician’s commitment to health equity in service to underserved, vulnerable, disenfranchised, and special populations.
Identify, explain and apply basic public health principles, practices, and sciences to the practice of osteopathic medicine in clinical and community settings.
Identify, explain and integrate determinants of health (social, political, cultural, environmental, biology, etc.) in the practice of osteopathic medicine at the levels of the individual patient, family, community and society.
Examine, explain and integrate principles of civic engagement, ethical leadership and global social responsibility in the practice of osteopathic medicine in clinical and community settings
Assess and address the factors influencing the use of health services.
Explain how the health care system relates to Medicare, Medicaid, insurance, and community health centers and the osteopathic physicians role as health advocate
Examine and influence health policy-making efforts at the local and national levels.
Identify, explain and apply the osteopathic physician’s role as health advocate in clinical and community settings.

Mental Health and Wellness in the Practice of Osteopathic Medicine

Partner with healthcare consumers, family members, and behavioral health and primary care providers to integrate the experience and expertise of the team into the provision of mental health and wellness services across the lifespan. Upon graduation from UIWSOM all students will be able to:

Exhibit leadership by directing, guiding, or influencing the collaboration and mental health service delivery of the healthcare team.
Clearly convey relevant information in a non-judgmental manner about behavioral health using person-centered concepts and terms.
Use strengths-based wellness, resilience, and recovery models in conceptualizing the mental wellness and care of patients.
Implement focused interventions to engage patients and families and increase their desire to improve health (e.g., motivational interviewing, motivational enhancement therapy).
Safeguard patient privacy and confidentiality with respect to communication, documentation, and data.
Identify the role of the osteopathic physician in addressing the medical consequences of common social and public health factors (such as racial, socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect access to and quality of care) that contribute to the burden of disease.