Osteopathic Outreach Program: Pre-SOMA

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Osteopathic Outreach ProgramPre-SOMA

• Presented by SOMA

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Definition of a Physician
The physician diagnoses, prescribes medication
for, and otherwise treats diseases and disorders
of the human body A physician may also perform
surgery and often specializes in one aspect of
medical care and treatment Physicians hold
either a doctor of medicine (M.D.) or doctor of
osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree
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Medicine - Allopathy

• A system of therapeutics in which diseases are
  treated by producing a condition incomparable
  with or antagonistic to the condition to be cured
  or alleviated

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Medicine - Chiropractic

• A system of therapeutics based upon the claim
  that disease is caused by abnormal function of
  the nervous system
• It attempts to restore normal function of the
  nervous system by manipulation and treatment of
  the structures of the human body, especially
  those of the spinal column

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Medicine - Osteopathy

• A system of therapy based on the theory that the
  body is capable of making its own remedies
  against disease and other toxic conditions when
  it has normal structural relationship, favorable
  environmental conditions, and adequate nutrition
• It utilizes generally accepted physical,
  medicinal, and surgical methods of diagnosis and
  therapy, while placing chief emphasis on the
  importance of normal body mechanics and
  manipulative methods of detecting and correcting
  faulty structure

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The Four Tenets of Osteopathy

• The body is a unit mind, body, and spirit
• The body is capable of self-regulation,
  self-healing, and health maintenance
• Structure and function are reciprocally
  interrelated
• Rational treatment is based upon an understanding
  of the basic principles of body unity,
  self-regulation, and the inter-relationship of
  structure and function

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Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

• Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) involves
  using the hands to diagnose, treat, and prevent
  illness or injury
• With OMT, osteopathic physicians may move the
  muscles and joints
• Techniques include
• Stretching
• Gentle Pressure
• Resistance

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History of Osteopathic Medicine

• Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of American
  medical care that was developed in 1874 by
  frontier doctor Andrew Taylor Still
• Dr. Still was dissatisfied with the effectiveness
  of 19th century medicine
• He believed that many of the medications of his
  day were useless or even harmful
• Dr. Still was one of the first in his time to
  study the attributes of good health so that he
  could better understand the process of disease

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History of Osteopathic Medicine

• In response, Dr. Still founded a philosophy of
  medicine based on ideas that date back to
  Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine
• The philosophy focuses on the unity of all body
  parts
• He identified the musculoskeletal system as a key
  element of health
• He recognized the bodys ability to heal itself
  and stressed preventive medicine, eating
  properly, and keeping fit

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Facts about D.O.s

• Currently, 63,120 D.O.s practice in the U.S.
  (estimated 100,000 by the year 2020)
• Over half of all D.O.s practice in primary care
  areas of family practice, internal medicine,
  OB/GYN, and pediatrics
• D.O.s represent 7 of the total U.S. physician
  population and 10 of all U.S. military
  physicians
• Each year, 100 million patient visits are made to
  D.O.s

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D.O.s and M.D.s are Alike

• Four-year undergraduate degree
• Complete the Medical College Admissions Test
  (MCAT)
• Four years of education at an accredited medical
  college
• Complete/Pass the three-step medical board
  examinations
• Complete a residency program (length depends on
  specialty)
• Complete/Pass state licensing examinations

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American Osteopathic Association

• The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is a
  member association representing more than 60,000
  osteopathic physicians (D.O.s)
• The AOA serves as the primary certifying body for
  D.O.s and is the accrediting agency for all
  osteopathic medical colleges and health care
  facilities
• The AOAs mission is to advance the philosophy
  and practice of osteopathic medicine by promoting
  excellence in education, research, and the
  delivery of quality, cost-effective healthcare
  within a distinctive, unified profession

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Student OsteopathicMedical Association

• The Student Osteopathic Medical Association
  (SOMA) was founded in 1970 as a nonprofit
  association with the objectives to improve the
  quality of healthcare delivery, to educate
  osteopathic medical students, to espouse the
  ideals of osteopathic medicine, and to establish
  lines of communication among health care
  professionals

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Student OsteopathicMedical Association

• SOMA is recognized the by the American
  Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the American
  Medical Association (AMA) as the national
  professional society of osteopathic medical
  students
• Membership in SOMA offers students a legitimate
  voice in shaping the future of their chosen
  profession
• Additionally, it serves as a means of
  communication among the students of all 30
  colleges of osteopathic medicine
• All students of osteopathic medicine are eligible
  for membership in SOMA

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Student OsteopathicMedical Association

• With over 6,000 members, SOMA is the largest
  osteopathic medical student organization in the
  world
• In addition to providing valuable programs and
  benefits, SOMA publishes an on-line newsletter,
  the Student DO Newsletter, which is available
  free of charge to all its members
• Volunteer osteopathic medical students run both
  local and national SOMA organizations

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Pre-SOMA

• Pre-SOMA is the undergraduate division of the
  Student Osteopathic Medical Association
• The goals are to promote and inform the public
  about osteopathic medical education as well as to
  increase the number of applicants to osteopathic
  medical schools
• Members of Pre-SOMA will have access to the SOMA
  newsletter, have the opportunity to be a
  registered user on our website, and are invited
  to attend our National SOMA conventions

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Pre-SOMA

• Membership is offered on a one-year basis or you
  can choose to join for your entire undergraduate
  career
• Please visit www.studentdo.com

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Contacts

• Robyn Young, National Pre-SOMA Director
  presoma_at_studentdo.com