Grading System
OCOM operates on a pass/fail grading system, although individual scores will be recorded and made available to students through the Learning Management System (LMS). Class rank is not published, but quartiles may be included on the Dean’s Letter. Honor society and other honor rankings is based on performance and on national board examinations and other selected parameters. Students will be required to remediate all courses where the student's grade falls below 70%. Students are required to remediate or complete a curriculum where the student's grade falls in IC (Incomplete) or IP (In Progress) status. Students who do not successfully complete or remediate these courses are awarded an F or failing grade.
All Pre-Clinical Phase courses (first two years) will have a pass or fail designation (P or F). All Clinical Phase Courses will have P/F/Honors for Years 3-4
Assessment of performance compared to national cohorts is made through the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA Levels 1 and 2-CE.
Assessment
OCOM has adopted the seven AOA Osteopathic Core Competencies as the outcome objectives for graduates. These endpoint measures are found in the following 7 competency domains:
OPP: Osteopathic Principles & Practice;
MK: Medical Knowledge;
PC: Patient Care;
ICS: Interpersonal Communication Skills;
P: Professionalism;
PBL: Practice-Based Learning; and
SBP: Systems-Based Practice.
Each core competency has been mapped to the courses in which it will be covered, and evaluation strategies are used to ensure that all graduates achieve intended learning outcomes. A comprehensive assessment plan summarizes additional methods and metrics that are tracked for continual program evaluation and improvement. Assessment of knowledge is by largely multiple choice examinations and quizzes (though other question formats may be utilized) administered electronically at both scheduled and random intervals. Laboratory and clinical skills assessments are in written and/or verbal format. Assessment of performance on rotations is by end-of-rotation examinations and preceptor feedback methods.
OCOM Programmatic Educational Objectives
The OCOM programmatic level educational objectives are based upon the seven American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Osteopathic Core Competencies and the OCOM Strategic Plan. These objectives are made available to all students, as well as faculty, staff, and others who have responsibility for student education and assessment, and are shared publicly on our website.
I. Osteopathic Philosophy and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OPP)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Perform an osteopathic history and structural exam as part of a history and physical examination.
Diagnose patients presenting with selected conditions using palpatory skills.
Integrate an osteopathic manipulative treatment plan into a patient care plan.
Treat patients appropriately with osteopathic manipulative medicine.
II. Medical Knowledge (MK)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Apply foundational biomedical science concepts to patient care in the following medical areas/specialties: Dermatological, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, Hematology/Oncology, Women’s Health, Infectious Disease, Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology/Urology/Men’s Health, Otolaryngology/ Surgical Subspecialties, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Neurology, Geriatrics, Critical Care, and Emergency Medicine.
Integrate the application of clinically-relevant foundational basic science principles, as appropriate, in Pathology/Histology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology/Immunology, Pharmacology and Physiology, into patient care.
Apply clinical science knowledge related to disciplines pertaining to the patient-centered- oriented focus of osteopathic medical practice, from the following medical areas/specialties: Dermatological, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, Hematology/Oncology, Women’s Health, Infectious Disease, Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nephrology/Urology/Men’s Health, Otolaryngology/ Surgical Subspecialties, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Neurology, Geriatrics, Critical Care, and Emergency Medicine.
Utilize epidemiological science to prevent disease and improve community health outcomes.
Incorporate new developments in foundational biomedical and clinical science knowledge relevant to the practice of osteopathic medical care.
Integrate foundational biomedical science principles with the psychosocial factors that relate to patient conditions.
Utilize ethical and legal practices when conducting research.
III. Patient Care (PC)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Obtain a patient history.
Develop a differential diagnosis for a patient.
Perform a physical examination which includes an osteopathic structural examination.
Perform, with appropriate supervision, basic essential clinical procedures, including OMT.
Recognize the distinctions of various populations as they apply to patient presentations and available prevention, treatment and management options.
Create a patient-centered, management plan that includes other interprofessional health care team members and related services as appropriate.
Recommend appropriate diagnostic laboratory and imaging studies.
Integrate health promotion and disease prevention strategies into patient care activities.
Collaborate with patients to improve patient care through effective patient care management.
Document a clinical encounter.
Care for patients using electronic health record systems.
IV. Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Utilize both physician- and patient-centered medical interviewing skills, as appropriate.
Establish rapport with patients using communication skills.
Communicate patient care and treatment plans effectively to patients and other healthcare providers.
Develop communication skills which are applicable for conflict management, negotiation, and leadership.
Participate and communicate in interprofessional health care teams.
V. Professionalism (P)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Demonstrate the behaviors of respect, compassion, probity, honesty, and trustworthiness.
Demonstrate respect and compassion for patient autonomy, dignity, and privacy.
Incorporate ethical and professional behavior into patient care.
Demonstrate sensitivity, respect, and responsiveness to a diverse and heterogeneous population including, but not limited to, diversity in culture, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, and mental and physical disabilities.
Care for patients with respect, altruism, compassion, integrity, honesty, empathy, and trustworthiness.
Utilize self-care, including principles of physical and psychosocial wellness.
Demonstrate life-long learning skills.
Embrace both positive and needs-improvement feedback.
Demonstrate accountability in and duty to the physician-patient relationship.
Demonstrate accountability to patients, society, and the osteopathic medical profession, including the duty to act in response to the knowledge of concerning professional behavior of other team members.
VI. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement (PBL)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Apply the scientific method to evaluate foundational biomedical literature for application to patient care.
Evaluate and apply the relevance and validity of clinical research to patient care.
Improve population health, especially the health of rural and/or underserved medical populations.
Translate scientific discoveries into clinical applications.
VII. Systems-Based Practice (SBP)
Upon graduation from OCOM, students will be able to:
Compare the impact that various health care delivery systems and services have on patient populations, including rural and medically underserved populations.
Collaborate effectively in health care teams, identifying best practices to deliver appropriate patient care.
Engage in an interprofessional healthcare team for optimal patient- and population-centered care.
Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis into patient care.
Identify social determinants of health and how health care systems and practices address these determinants.
Advocate for all patients within the healthcare system.
Improve patient safety and strive to prevent medical errors.
Lead healthcare teams.
Work within healthcare systems to effectively care for patients within system requirements.
Be eligible for additional training and licensure exams that will qualify for eligibility for licensure in any jurisdiction within the United States of America.
Successfully pass the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Inc. (NBOME) Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensure Examination of the USA (COMLEX-USA), Levels 1 and 2-CE in no more than two attempts each.
Become eligible to achieve graduation from OCOM and achieve placement in an American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved residency program, allowing the graduate to take medical licensure examinations required for attainment of a license to practice medicine as an osteopathic physician.