LEWISBURG, W.Va. — The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine is establishing the Pre-Osteopathic Medicine Program at Fairmont State and Frostburg State universities.
The programs are designed to provide a firm foundation for students interested in osteopathic medicine, including the skills and credentials needed to gain admission and ultimately success in osteopathic medicine school, according to WVSOM President James Nemitz.
“These are pipeline programs to educate students about what osteopathic medicine is and to provide them with a pathway to help them be successful at achieving acceptance at medical school,” Nemitz said.
The principles of osteopathic medicine were developed more than 100 years ago by Andrew Taylor Still, who believed the body has self-healing properties. He developed osteopathic manipulation treatments to address problems with the body’s musculoskeletal system, which includes nerves, muscles, and bones.
“Students are taught to look at the whole patient and incorporate that when taking a history and physical to get at the root of their problems,” Nemitz said.
A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is trained to look at and consider more than what the patient is having problems with. The manipulative treatments evaluate muscles, nerves, and range of motion to pinpoint what the source of the ailment is. If you complain about neck or back pain, a doctor might want to know about the stressors in your life before diagnosing a muscle or nerve problem.
“I think there’s incredible benefit to the training of teaching a medical student how to touch a patient in a clinical context,” Nemitz said. “Because ultimately, I think patients want that connection with their physician.”
The medical doctor is considered an allopathic doctor, using a more directed approach to treatment with conventional tools like x-rays, prescriptions, and surgery. While the DO focuses on holistic health and prevention using reduction and manipulative treatment.
“You’re now seeing MDs going into osteopathic programs and learning the manipulations,” Nemitz said. “So, you now have MDs learning that philosophy and learning the manipulation as well.”
The WVSOM campus is located in Lewisburg and was founded as the Greenbrier College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1972. Through the Statewide Campus, WVSOM maintains locations throughout the state used by students in the final two years to complete clinical rotations. The institution is nationally recognized for the number of DOs that graduate from WVSOM and work in rural settings.
“We’re an attractive institution, especially for students who come from rural areas,” Nemitz said. “And we’re experts in training those students to be rural medical providers.”
The agreement with Fairmont State University will be signed in a ceremony in the Falcon Center next Friday morning. The agreement is already in place at Frostburg State University.