Transcript Osteopathic Outreach Program: Pre-SOMA

Osteopathic Outreach Program:
Pre-SOMA
Presented by SOMA
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
Medicine - Allopathy
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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
Medicine - Chiropractic
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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
Medicine - Osteopathy
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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
The Four Tenets of Osteopathy
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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
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
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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:
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Stretching
Gentle Pressure
Resistance
History of Osteopathic Medicine
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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
History of Osteopathic Medicine
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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 body’s ability to heal itself
and stressed preventive medicine, eating
properly, and keeping fit
Facts about D.O.’s
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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
D.O.’s and M.D.’s are Alike…
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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
American Osteopathic Association
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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 AOA’s 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
Student Osteopathic
Medical Association
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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
Student Osteopathic
Medical Association
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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
Student Osteopathic
Medical Association
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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
Pre-SOMA
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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
Pre-SOMA
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Membership is offered on a
one-year basis or you can
choose to join for your entire
undergraduate career
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Please visit
www.studentdo.com
Contacts
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Robyn Young, National Pre-SOMA Director:
[email protected]