91AV

The 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine fosters health care leaders across the continuum, including undergraduate, predoctoral, graduate and continuing medical education participants, to advance exceptional osteopathic healthcare locally and globally through practice, scholarship, education and community health.

The degree of doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.), granted to graduates of osteopathic medical schools, demonstrates to the public that these physicians received a unique and distinctive education based upon the principles articulated by its founder.

Consistent with the philosophy and training programs of the osteopathic profession, the majority of osteopathic physicians practice in primary care specialties. Their interest in holistic medicine, one of the basic tenets of their osteopathic heritage, encourages them to provide both preventive and curative services to their patients on a comprehensive and continuing basis.

In addition to the primary care specialties (e.g., Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine), many osteopathic physicians choose residency training programs and careers in other medical and surgical specialties, and in settings such as active military practice, hospitalist care, and academic health centers. All 50 states and more than 50 countries offer unlimited medical licensure to qualified osteopathic physicians.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

The 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine (91AVCOM) curriculum is designed to develop osteopathic primary care and other specialized physicians who are skilled in health promotion and illness prevention as well as the delivery of care to the ill. To that end, 91AVCOM provides an innovative, contemporary, patient-focused curriculum that fosters life-long, self-directed, evidence-based learning and professional development.

Medical education is continuously evolving in alignment with best practices for learning and teaching. Therefore, 91AVCOM reserves the right to change the practices and policies described in this catalog.

Our progressive, integrated 4-year curriculum aligns educational activities with the principles of adult learning to maximize the attainment and retention of knowledge, skills, and attitudes crucial to the delivery of health care in the 21st century.

91AVCOM also offers a unique online pre-medical science curriculum for those wishing to upgrade pre-requisite knowledge.

PRE-DOCTORAL EDUCATION

Students spend the first two years of the program on the 91AV campus in Biddeford, Maine. The curriculum consists of a series of large and small group learning activities, combined with independent experiential learning in physicians’ offices, hospitals, extended care facilities and health centers. Scheduled facilitated learning sessions include traditional didactic lectures, interactive problem solving sessions, patient case study discussions, hands-on laboratory exercises, panel discussions, demonstrations, and clinically-focused encounters with standardized and real patients. Learning activities are constructed to provide a strong foundation in the basic biomedical and social sciences as well as clinical skills as they apply to the rapidly changing practice of medicine in the 21st century. A thorough grounding in the manual skills characteristic of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) is provided in the first two years, and supplemented, reinforced, and expanded in Years 3 and 4.

Student preparation before class and active participation in class is a consistent element in the learning dynamic throughout the curriculum.  An open, free-flowing dialog between faculty and students is characteristically valued and encouraged. 

Progressive, level-appropriate mastery of the seven Core Competencies identified by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) serves as the educational goal of the curriculum. The competencies include:

1. Osteopathic Principles and Practice: The student will understand and apply osteopathic principles to patient care.
2. Medical Knowledge: The student will demonstrate knowledge of established biomedical, epidemiological, social, and behavioral sciences and their application to patient care.
3. Patient Care: The student will have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to provide compassionate, appropriate and effective patient care.
4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: The student will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective interactions with patients, families, and colleagues.
5. Professionalism: The student will demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities in an ethical and sensitive manner.
6. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: The student will demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate patient care practices using scientific evidence and apply these to patient care.
7. Systems-Based Practice: The student will demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and systems of health care, to provide care of optimal value.

High quality laboratory and educational facilities provide a stimulating venue for the mastery of the seven AOA competencies. Our new Leonard Hall redefines teaching and learning by creating an intentional space that fosters group dialogue, case-based study, and interactive connection by using emerging technologies. The Harold Alfond Center for the Health Sciences houses laboratories and lecture halls that place 91AVCOM at the national forefront of health and life sciences education. The gross anatomy lab and fresh tissue lab are among the most advanced facilities in the world. The Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OP&P) lab is spacious and well designed with the latest technological support. The Clinical Performance Center is an interactive clinical skills education, testing and evaluation facility with well-established Standardized Patient and Patient Simulator Programs.

The 91AV supports many degree programs in the health and allied health professions, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant and social work. As a result, we stress interprofessional education and collaboration.

CLERKSHIP EDUCATION

During the last two years of their pre-doctoral training, students are assigned to a 91AVCOM Clinical Campus to deepen their learning and expand their clinical acumen.

The 91AVCOM Clinical Campuses are a consortium of community-based education sites consisting of one or more training institutions within geographic proximity that allow coordinated delivery of the core academic training experience. These coordinated sites provide the patient base, the didactic and experiential opportunities, the supervisory infrastructure and the longitudinal evaluation necessary for the accomplishment of the educational goals of the core clinical rotations. While the majority of the College's Clinical Campuses are located in the New England states, some students travel for part or all of the core clinical rotation training period.

Year 3 students are assigned to rotations in core medical and surgical disciplines at one of the current* training sites throughout the northeast that constitute the 91AVCOM system. Many of these sites are members of the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN). Year 4 students continue their learning with selective and elective clinical rotations at 91AVCOM-approved programs of their choice.

Reflecting its focus on primary care, the 91AVCOM clinical clerkship training programs are located in private physician offices, community hospitals, and community health centers throughout the northeast that represent environments in which many of the college's graduates will eventually practice. Ambulatory care programs train students in office practice and familiarize students with the collaborative roles and skills of non-physician health care providers. While community hospitals form the core of the Year 3 and Year 4 clinical rotations, affiliations with specialty-focused facilities allow students to pursue a range of clinical experiences.

Please see Core predoctoral clinical clerkship affiliates for more information.

POST-GRADUATE TRAINING

91AVCOM enjoys an educational affiliation with a number of postgraduate internship and residency programs. By sponsoring these independent programs, the college serves as a liaison with the American Osteopathic Association to assure compliance with accreditation criteria required for AOA approval of the training programs. 91AVCOM graduates apply to these and other postgraduate programs for internship and residency training. These affiliations exemplify the breadth and depth that these collaborative arrangements offer our graduates for postgraduate training. Please see postgraduate affiliates for more information on the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN).

Some of our graduates interested in assuming leadership in medical education enroll in 91AVCOM’s on-line Master’s in Medical Education Leadership. Graduates of this program are recognized internationally.

* This list is accurate as of this publication date. However, with the rapidly changing dynamics in the U.S. health care delivery system, the training sites available in any specific year is subject to change.  

The 91AV is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

The 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA COCA).

Additionally, 91AVCOM has been accredited by the Maine Medical Association’s Council on Continuing Medical Education and Accreditation (CCMEA) to provide continuing medical education for physicians, including both D.O.s and M.D.s.

ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS

The College of Osteopathic Medicine has established articulation agreements with both undergraduate institutions and post-baccalaureate programs.

Qualified students in the 91AV College of Arts and Sciences (91AVCAS) may apply for early admission to the College of Osteopathic Medicine following their junior year. The 3 Plus 4 Program allows mature, qualified 91AVCAS students to complete an undergraduate degree and doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree in seven years. The 3 Plus 4 Program is for students admitted to 91AVCAS and is open to any major.

91AVCOM has established agreements enabling qualified students from these institutions to complete an undergraduate degree and D.O. degree in seven years:

• University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut,
• Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts,
• University of Maine, Orono, Maine, and
• Utica College in Utica, New York.

In addition, 91AVCOM and these institutions have entered into agreements whereby qualified individuals who have previously completed a baccalaureate degree can fulfill the required pre-requisite courses at their baccalaureate institution:

• Tufts University Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program in Medford, Massachusetts, and
• University of Vermont Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program in Burlington, Vermont.

All students enrolled in the University are encouraged to acquaint themselves with the scholastic regulations, the general and specific requirements of the academic program, and the operational policies that govern the program of study. Additional information may be found in the Student Handbook Supplement for the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As part of its review, the 91AVCOM Committee on Admissions evaluates each applicant in the areas of personal and academic integrity and personal values. An invitation to join the 91AVCOM community indicates that the institution thinks that the applicant has a well-developed set of values and a high level of integrity. The faculty and administration are committed to fostering this integrity and to developing students' increasing awareness of the multifaceted demands of professionalism - as student physicians who are ultimately responsible for their own learning, as people who need to reflect and reappraise themselves consistently and honestly, and as future physicians who must learn to cope with an ever-evolving set of demands.

Student physicians are expected to behave professionally with respect and integrity, to face new situations and people with open minds, to maintain their intellectual and personal curiosity, and to meet their obligations. These expectations form the basis of student responsibilities.

Likewise, student rights are based on the premise of reciprocity. Students should expect to be met with the same sense of integrity, respect, and openness.

STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR AND CONDUCT

In order to evaluate acceptable demonstration of professional behavior and conduct for graduation, the following standards have been adopted by the 91AVCOM faculty:

A student enrolled in the 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine is expected to:

1. Behave in a responsible, reliable and dependable manner -- e.g. to manage time well; be on time for assignments, meetings, and appointments; to plan ahead and to follow through with commitments; to cooperate with person(s) in charge of programs; and to take responsibility for absences or missed assignments.
2. Demonstrate personal integrity, honesty, and self-discipline – e.g. to be consistent and truthful, to show appropriate personal control, to take on tasks that he/she can manage, to be honest in reports and self-evaluations.
3. Project a professional image in manner, dress, grooming, speech, and interpersonal relationships that is consistent with the medical profession's accepted contemporary community standards – e.g. to maintain awareness of personal hygiene; to wear a white coat and name tag, if expected; to notify preceptor or other leader in case of emergency absence or calls; to apologize if unable to notify in advance; to be respectful of other students and patients when doing physical diagnosis or treatment.
4. Recognize his/her personal limitations and biases, whether they are intellectual, physical or emotional; to strive to correct them (e.g. overcome negative behaviors such as procrastination); to learn to be a team member; to adapt to new situations; and to avoid discriminatory conduct or speech.
5. Demonstrate the professional and emotional maturity to manage tensions and conflicts which occur among professional, personal, and family responsibilities, seeking professional help if necessary – e.g. to meet with supposed antagonists to resolve misunderstandings; to get needed help from faculty advisors, tutors, counselors, learning assistance professionals and other qualified persons; to show ability to prioritize appropriately one’s personal, professional, and academic expectations and activities.
6. Demonstrate the ability to exercise sound judgment and to function under pressure – e.g. to request help when needed and to avoid endangering others; to respect the difference between physician and physician-in-training (i.e. doctor and student doctor); to remain focused on the task at hand; to remember that as student doctor he/she represents 91AVCOM and the osteopathic profession to the greater community at large.
7. Demonstrate the ability to learn from mistakes and failures and to heed admonitions and warnings from officers of 91AV-COM and of clinical supervisors – e.g. to be responsive to feedback and constructive criticism regarding professional behavior and attitude, and to understand the seriousness of academic and disciplinary warnings.
8. Demonstrate compassion and respect toward others – e.g. to work cooperatively with differences and diversity in personalities and in cultural backgrounds as well as with differences in social and in economic status, and to respect the privacy and individual choice of others.
9. Demonstrate consistent respect for administrators, faculty, staff, and fellow students of the University.

These standards are taken very seriously and evaluated regularly. Failure to abide by these standards may result in academic warning, probation, or dismissal.

REGISTRATION

The University conducts an annual registration for students during the start of the each academic year. The Office of the University Registrar handles registration for students in Years 1 and 2 with information regarding student status and courses from the COM staff. The Office of the University Registrar registers medical students in Years 3 and 4 using information on student status from the Office of Clinical Education.  Each student is registered in a “place holder” course until the Registrar receives graded rotations. As the completed rotations are processed, the “place holder” is removed and the actual rotation and grade are entered to the academic record. Students are required to confirm their enrollments as classes begin through U-Online.  The Registrar sends directions for this process to all students as each semester begins.

During the registration process, students must finalize payment of tuition and related fees, as delineated in the section entitled Tuition and Fees, including filing appropriate documents with Registration Services, Financial Aid, Business Affairs, and Office of Constituent Services. In addition, all new, incoming students are required to undergo a complete physical examination, meet 91AVCOM immunization requirements, and complete the medical questionnaire provided by the University as a prerequisite to enrollment. Failure to comply with meeting immunization requirement may result in the inability to register for courses, receive course grades or proceed with clinical assignments.

ACADEMIC RECORDS

Complete records and related documents are maintained in Registration Services, Decary Hall.  Under the terms of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students have the right to review and inspect all education records pertaining to their academic enrollment. However, letters of recommendation submitted on the basis of a pledge of confidentiality prior to January 1, 1975 need not be shown to students, and a student may be allowed but not required to waive his/her right of access to letters of recommendation received after that date. FERPA requires post-secondary institutions to provide students not only access to official records directly related to them, but also an opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate. It is the right of students to file a complaint with the Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by an educational agency or institution to comply with section 438 of the Act that guarantees such rights.

University students wishing to review their records may do so by providing a written request to Registration Services.

STUDENT ACCESS AND ANNUAL NOTIFICATION

FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records, specifically:

1. the right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. The student should submit to Registration Services a written request that identifies the records s/he wishes to inspect. The office will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
2. the right to request the University to amend the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. The student should write to the University Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record s/he wishes to be changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If it is determined not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding hearing procedures will accompany this notification.
3. the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her task; or the Veterans Administration for students registered for various GI Bill® programs. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
4. the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure(s) by the 91AV to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605

FERPA permits the University to disclose "directory information" without a student's consent. Directory information is defined as: name, address, e-mail address, telephone listing, photograph, date and place of birth, level of education, academic major, degrees, honors and awards received, and educational institutions in which a student was enrolled.

Active students who wish to have directory information withheld from release must do so in writing on a "per-academic-year" basis. Request forms are available in Registration Services or Office of Recruitment, Student and Alumni Services. Requests must be submitted prior to September 30  (if first-time enrollment for academic year is fall semester) or January 30  (if first-time enrollment for academic year is spring semester) to affect a "withhold" status.

Please remember: active students must renew a request for non-disclosure each year to keep such requests in effect. The University may disclose directory information about former students without meeting notification requirements; however, at the last opportunity as a student (just prior to departure from the University), written requests for non-disclosure will remain in effect until a written request to change non-disclosure status is made by the student.

STUDENT ENROLLMENT STATUS

The 91AV classifies student credit load status for the purposes of financial aid loan deferments. Enrollment classifications.

COMPREHENSIVE OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL LICENSING EXAMINATIONS

The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examinations (COMLEX-USA) are administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) and are divided into three levels. Levels 1 and 2 are given during the college years and Level 3 is given to qualified graduates during their first year of postgraduate (residency) training. The Level 2 examination consists of two independent components – a Cognitive Evaluation (Level 2-CE) and a Performance Evaluation (Level 2-PE). The former tests predominantly a student’s knowledge base, and the latter predominantly his/her clinical skills. Students are eligible for the Level 1 examination upon successful completion of Year 2 and approval from the College of Osteopathic Medicine in which they are enrolled. Students become eligible for the Level 2 examinations in Year 3 after approval from their COM. Students must have received a passing score on COMLEX -USA Level 1 in order to begin clinical rotations. Students must take and pass both components of the Level 2 examination as a condition of graduation.
Students are allowed a maximum of three attempts to pass COMLEX-USA Level 1 and each component of COMLEX-USA Level 2.  Any student who fails to pass any individual component of the COMLEX-USA examination series after three attempts will be considered for dismissal from the College.

Note: Registration and scheduling of the exams is the responsibility of the student. Students should also plan to register and take the COMLEX-USA Level 1 and 2 (PE and CE) with sufficient time allowed to receive exam results and be able to comply with any deadlines for clinical rotations or graduation. Graduating Year 4 students are advised to schedule a date for their COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE (clinical skills examination) no later than December 31 of the year preceding their anticipated graduation date in order to receive scores to meet graduation requirements. This may require registration and scheduling with NBOME up to 12 months in advance.

LAPTOP REQUIREMENT

The College has instituted a mandatory laptop computer requirement. Specifics regarding the minimum configuration will be available on a yearly basis.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at 

Applicants to the 91AV College’s of Osteopathic Medicine (91AVCOM) are judged on their demonstration of scholastic abilities, motivation to practice osteopathic medicine in New England, and the emotional stability necessary to study and practice osteopathic medicine. Admission will be denied to applicants who fail to maintain a good scholastic record and personal conduct during the period between their acceptance and matriculation.
 

Prerequisite Courses

Recommended courses

• Molecular Biology, Genetics, Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, Math/Statistics
• All prerequisites must have been completed successfully with a grade of “C” or better (“C-“grades are not acceptable).
• On-campus interviews are given to qualified applicants upon invitation so that the Committee on Admissions can further evaluate candidates. Preference is given to qualified applicants from the New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)

ACADEMIC/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• A minimum of 90 semester hours or 75 percent credit towards a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting agency.
• A cumulative grade point average of 2.7 or better on a 4.0 scale in both elective and required subjects.
• Satisfactory completion of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), taken within two years of application

Note:  Before matriculation, accepted applicants will be expected to obtain a physical examination with proof of up-to-date immunization status to meet all health immunization requirements.  Please visit Student Health Care  for details.

As required by clinical training sites, students may be subject to criminal background checks and drug screens prior to matriculation, and periodically throughout the COM program.

PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

• On-campus interviews are given to qualified applicants upon invitation so that the Committee on Admissions can further evaluate candidates. Preference is given to qualified applicants from the New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
• The College of Osteopathic Medicine participates with other osteopathic colleges in a centralized application processing service called the  (AACOMAS). All applicants must submit applications through AACOMAS
• AACOMAS will send completed and verified application to the 91AV and other schools of choice
• Once the processed AACOMAS application is received, 91AV provides all applicants meeting the minimum requirements an opportunity to submit supplementary materials that must be returned directly to the College of Osteopathic Medicine with a $55.00 application fee.
• The College reviews and interviews students on a “rolling admissions” basis beginning in the fall. Applicants are urged to complete their applications as early as possible in order to receive early consideration for an interview.
• Complete official transcripts of scholastic records from all colleges and universities attended. Required courses must be completed by January 1 of the year for which admission is sought.
• The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores, taken within two years of application, sent directly from the testing service. AACOMAS' number is 600.
•  Official transcripts from all college and universities attended must be sent to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, 716 Stevens Ave., Portland, ME, 04103
• International applicants and applicants with international degrees must have their transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited US institution. See International Admissions for a list of educational credential evaluators. 
• International Applicants must submit the International Student Supplemental Application Form at time of acceptance to the university and not before then.
• All applicants to 91AV must be able to understand and communicate in English to be admitted to the university. 91AV accepts several methods of English Proficiency, (see International Admissions)  If applicable, the requirement must be completed and score received by the application deadline.

For additional information on the admissions process and requirements, please access the COM Website.

TRANSFER CREDIT

Students in good standing at other colleges of osteopathic medicine may apply for transfer admission into the third year of the Doctor of Osteopathy program at 91AVCOM. Acceptance of a transfer student will be dependent upon the student's qualifications, academic compatibility, and available space. Credits may be transferred only from colleges accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA COCA).  Transfer application requests should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME, 04005, not to AACOMAS. The transfer candidate must provide:

1. Letter of application.
2. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, including the current college of osteopathic medicine.
3.  Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores.
4. Letter from the dean of the college of osteopathic medicine in which the student is enrolled, stating that the student is in satisfactory standing.
5. Letters of recommendation from two faculty members at the osteopathic college where the student is enrolled

ADVANCED STANDING

No advanced standing is available.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

No credit will be awarded to students for experiential learning.

Policy exceptions

The Doctor of Osteopathy program and the COM Admissions Committee reserve the right to make exceptions to the admissions criteria and to make changes or exceptions to policies and procedures, on a case by case basis, when it deems such a decision is necessary and appropriate.

COURSE GRADE REPORTING

• The process of determining grades and the criteria for passing a course is described explicitly in each course syllabus that is ratified by the Committee on Educational Programs (CEP) and posted prior to the beginning of the course.  
•  A final grade in a course is determined by the course director and must comply with the standards and principles endorsed by the CEP.  

91AVCOM COURSES - YEAR 1

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IA - 14 Credits

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IA is a multidisciplinary course designed to introduce medical science knowledge that undergirds the practice of osteopathic medicine. The medical science knowledge includes biological disciplines such as histology, physiology and biochemistry and more clinical disciplines such as pathology and evidence-based medicine.  The overall aim is to allow the first year osteopathic medical student to integrate and apply this knowledge in the solution of clinical problems. Additionally, the student will develop cognitive skills and attitudes that support continual acquisition of medical knowledge.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA - 14 credits

The aim of Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA is to transform learners into student physicians who demonstrate superior clinical skills and medical professionalism, and embody empathetic, patient centered medical care in preparation for clinical clerkship training. The purpose of the Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA course is to provide the students with a solid knowledge of clinical anatomy as the basis for competent and safe performance of physical examination and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM); to instruct learners in the art and skill of medical history taking; to provide an understanding of structure and function to formulate a clinical temporal profile leading to the differential diagnosis; and to represent the foundation of osteopathic knowledge and skills that will be built upon longitudinally throughout the learner’s medical education and practice.

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IB 13 credits

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IB is a multidisciplinary course designed to continue the mastery of medical science knowledge that undergirds the practice of osteopathic medicine. The medical science knowledge includes biological disciplines such as histology, physiology and biochemistry and more clinical disciplines such as pathology, pharmacology and evidence-based medicine.  The overall aim is to allow the first year osteopathic medical student to integrate and apply this knowledge in the solution of clinical problems. Additionally, the student will develop cognitive skills and attitudes that support continual acquisition of medical knowledge. Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IB is a continuation of Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IA and builds on the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed by the medical scholar in the earlier course.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IB 13 credits

The aim of Osteopathic Clinical Skills IB is to transform learners into student physicians who demonstrate superior clinical skills and medical professionalism, and embody empathetic, patient centered care. Osteopathic Clinical Skills IB is a continuation of Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA and builds on the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed by the medical scholar in that course.

The Osteopathic Clinical Skills IB course serves to further develop the students’ knowledge of clinical anatomy as the basis for competent and safe performance of physical examination and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM); to instruct learners in the art and skill of medical history taking; to provide an understanding of structure and function to formulate a clinical temporal profile leading to the differential diagnosis; and to represent the foundation of osteopathic knowledge and skills that will be built upon longitudinally throughout the learner’s medical education and practice.

91AVCOM COURSES - YEAR 2

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IIA – 14 credits

This semester long course integrates foundational underlying biomedical scientific principles with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to address most common and/or important patient presentations.

Using a combination of interactive, didactic presentations, case study discussions, laboratory sessions, panel discussions, and “grand rounds” conferences, the structured learning activities reinforce and expand the student’s understanding of critical biomedical and clinical elements of health care explored in the first year 91AVCOM courses.

The Osteopathic principles of body-mind-spirit integration, structure-function relationship and the body's inherent ability to self-regulate, heal, and maintain health are prominent themes in the course content.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IIA – 14 credits

This course is a continuation of the two-year longitudinal Osteopathic Clinical Skills I course that begins in Year 1. The course is designed to reinforce and expand the student’s knowledge and osteopathic clinical skills to ensure safe and competent practice during core clinical training rotations in Years 3 and 4.  Osteopathic Clinical Skills IIA introduces the student to more advanced methods of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment and extends the integration of key concepts into the clinical practice of primary care. Learning activities parallel topics and areas of focus of the Osteopathic Medical Knowledge II series of courses and include standardized patient experiences, osteopathic manual medicine skills sessions, clinical skills assessment, and differential diagnosis.

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IIB – 13 credits

This semester long course integrates the foundational underlying biomedical scientific principles with the most common and/or important patient presentations related to a variety of body systems.

Using a combination of interactive, didactic presentations, case study discussions, laboratory sessions, panel discussions, and “grand rounds” conferences, the structured learning activities reinforce and expand the student’s understanding of relevant biomedical and clinical elements of health care explored in the first year 91AVCOM courses.

The Osteopathic principles of body-mind-spirit integration, structure-function relationship and the body's inherent ability to self-regulate, heal, and maintain health are prominent themes in the course content.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IIB – 13 credits 

This course continues the two-year longitudinal Osteopathic Clinical Skills course that begins in year 1 and builds on the knowledge, skills and attitudes explored in the first semester of Year 2. The course is designed to reinforce and expand the student’s knowledge and osteopathic clinical skills to ensure safe and competent practice during core clinical training rotations in Years 3 and 4. OCS-IIB introduces the student to more advanced methods of osteopathic manipulative treatment and extends the integration of key concepts into the clinical practice of primary care. Learning activities parallel topics and areas of focus of the Osteopathic Medical Knowledge series of courses and include standardized patient experiences, osteopathic manual medicine skills sessions, clinical skills assessment, and differential diagnosis.

To graduate with the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, students must demonstrate achievement of the AOA COM competencies:

1. Osteopathic Principles and Practice: The student will understand and apply osteopathic principles to patient care.
2. Patient Care: The student will have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to provide compassionate, appropriate and effective patient care.
3. Medical Knowledge: The student will demonstrate knowledge of established biomedical, epidemiological, social, and behavioral sciences and their application to patient care.
4. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: The student will demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate patient care practices using scientific evidence and apply these to patient care.
5. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: The student will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective interactions with patients, families, and colleagues.
6. Professionalism: The student will demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities in an ethical and sensitive manner.
7. Systems-Based Practice: The student will demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and systems of health care, to provide care of optimal value.

91AVCOM offers medical students the opportunity to also complete a Master’s in Public Health or a Master’s in Medical Education Leadership.

ATTENDANCE

The University expects the student to attend specific scheduled lectures, discussions, case-based learning sessions, laboratories and clinical assignments unless appropriate permission has been secured prior to the absence.  Any student who misses a class is NOT exempted from completing the assignment covered during the absence. For further information, student should consult the Excused Absence Policy as found in the Student Handbook Supplement for the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

ACADEMIC STANDING

The Committee on Student Progress (CSP) is responsible for making recommendations to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA) on student disciplinary and academic matters, performance, and on action(s) to be taken. Yearly, CSP makes recommendations to the Dean on the promotion of students to the next class. At any time CSP deems necessary, it may inform the appropriate faculty and administrative personnel of students experiencing academic difficulties so that corrective or remedial action may be taken. Also, each year CSP recommends to the faculty, through the Dean, the awarding of the degree of doctor of osteopathic medicine to those students who have satisfied all graduation requirements.

The status of a student may be reviewed by CSP when the student's performance is found to be unsatisfactory in the accumulation of knowledge and/or personal growth. For example, the student’s academic progress may be reviewed for any of the following reasons:

1. Unexcused absence(s) from class, laboratory, or clinical experience.
2. Failure to obtain a satisfactory grade in every unit of study such as a course, preceptorship, or clinical rotation (clerkship).
3. Failure to abide by the Standards for Professional Behavior and Conduct or to exhibit the behavior, ethics, or professional manner deemed necessary – in the judgment of the Committee on Student Progress – for the continued study and later practice of osteopathic medicine in the judgment of CSP.
4. Personal or medical reasons; in assessing personal growth, such factors as morals, emotional stability, integrity, general conduct, reliability, judgment, and rapport with patients is considered.

After discussion, CSP may decide by majority vote to make one of the following recommendations to the Dean:

1. No significant deficiency exists, and the student is promoted, with such oral or written caution to the student as may be recommended.
2. A significant deficiency exists and one or several of the following actions is to be taken according to the severity of the deficiency, the student's overall achievement and circumstances surrounding the deficiency (illness, family emergency, etc.):

• Student is to take remedial examination(s) after an appropriate interval recommended by the course director(s) and approved by a majority vote of the Committee on Student Progress.
• Student is to undertake special projects or studies required to address the perceived deficiency.
• Student is placed on academic or disciplinary probation for a stated period of time.
• Student is required to repeat the course(s), preceptorship(s), or clerkship(s) in which there is a deficiency.
• Student is required to repeat the academic year.
• Student is suspended from the College.
• Student is dismissed from the College.

WITHDRAWAL/DISMISSAL

A student who is required to repeat an academic year, suspended or dismissed from the College may appeal this decision to the Dean within ten (10) working days of his/her notification of the decision to repeat, suspend or dismiss. The Dean may, at his discretion, convene a five-member Faculty Appeals Committee for a review of the decision. The charge of the Faculty Appeals Committee will not be to repeat the deliberations of the Committee on Student Progress, but rather to determine whether or not the following conditions apply to the original decision:

1. New information is available at this time that was not available to the original recommending committee (CSP), OR
2. Evidence exists that the decision that the recommending committee reached was capricious or arbitrary, OR
3. Consequence of the deliberation (e.g. dismissal, etc.) is unusually harsh or unfair.

If the Faculty Appeals Committee upholds the original recommendation, the decision is final and there is no further appeal. If the Faculty Appeals Committee does not uphold the requirement to repeat the year, suspension or dismissal, it will recommend to the Dean such other requirements, as it deems appropriate.

Placement of a student on academic probation or disciplinary probation indicates the faculty's extreme dissatisfaction with the student's academic or behavioral performance. While on probation, the student will not represent the college at outside events and will be asked to curtail elected office responsibilities until their academic performance improves. In addition, a student on academic probation must pass all units of study; a student on disciplinary probation must discontinue the behavior leading to probation and maintain a record of exemplary behavior. Students who violate the conditions of probation as listed above will be reviewed again by CSP, which will make such recommendations to the Dean as it sees fit.

An application for voluntary withdrawal from the College must be submitted in writing to the Dean. The Dean may grant a leave of absence due to financial difficulties or for personal, medical, or family problems.

ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY

A. Course Failures

• All students are expected to meet the requirements for passing by the end of a course.
• Any student who is assigned a grade of Failure (F) for a course, including for failure to meet criteria for professional behavior, will meet with CSP.
• Based upon the student’s overall academic performance, CSP will, in consultation with the Course Director for the failed course, make one of the following recommendations:
• repeat the course when it is next offered, OR
• repeat the entire academic year, OR
• dismissal from the college.

B. Re-Assessment

• Within 4 weeks of the end of a course, CSP will review the progress of all students who fail to meet the published criteria for passing.
• Students who are given the opportunity for a second assessment prior to the issuing of a final course grade, and who meet the standards for passing after a second assessment will be assigned a grade of Pass (P) for the course.  
• Failure to achieve a passing score on a second assessment will result in the assignment of a grade of Failure (F) for the course.
• Permission for reassessment will be based upon:
• the criteria for reassessment eligibility published in the course syllabus,
• the students overall performance in all other 91AVCOM courses (concurrent and previous).
• If the number of re-assessments is excessive, or performance is consistently sub-standard for a particular student, CSP may refuse permission to re-assess and make one of the following recommendations:
• complete a remedial course approved by the director of the original course, OR
• repeat the original course when it is next offered, OR
• repeat the entire academic year, OR
• dismissal from the college.
• The date for reassessment for any particular course will be determined and published by the Office of Academic Affairs.

C. Course Remediation Policy

• All courses that allow for remedial activity and reassessment prior to issuing a final course grade following unsuccessful achievement of criteria for passing must develop, describe and publish in the course syllabus a plan for re-assessment and/or remediation.
• With permission of CSP, a 91AVCOM student who is assigned a final grade of Failure (F) may enroll in a formal remediation activity approved by the Committee on Educational Programs (CEP) and the course director.
• Permission to pursue remedial activity will be based upon:
• the criteria for eligibility published in the course syllabus and
• the student’s overall performance in all other 91AVCOM courses (concurrent and previous).
• The remediation activity will:
• be constructed and monitored by the original course director, OR, if it is conducted at a remote site, monitored by the original course director;
• be listed with the Registrar as a separate course; and,
• carry a tuition charge.
• The syllabus of the original course, which requires CEP approval, will specify the dates and duration of the remedial activity.
• Upon successful completion of the remedial activity, the student will be given a grade of Pass (P) for the remedial course.
• Failure on the assessment following a remediation activity will result in the student being considered for one of the following actions:
• repeat the course when it is next offered, OR
• repeat the academic year, OR
• dismissal from the college.

TUITION AND FEES

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.

MSPR/DEAN'S LETTER

The college provides institutional letters of reference, the Medical Student Performance Review (MSPR), for graduating students for prospective postgraduate programs, such as internships, residencies, and fellowships. The first ten requests for letters shall be free of charge. All additional requests shall be assessed a $3 fee.

SPECIAL EXAMINATION FEE

All students are required to take and pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) part I, part II CE, and part II PE in order to graduate. All fees are determined by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) and are paid directly to the Board.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE TUITION CREDIT

In the event a student desires to apply for a leave of absence, a Leave Form must be submitted to the Dean's Office. The form will include the reason for leaving, as well as the expected date of return. An approved leave of absence during the on-campus portion of the curriculum will result in a refund per the Withdrawal Tuition Refund Policy.

A student in the military reserves will be granted a full leave of absence tuition credit should the student be called to active duty while attending courses during any given semester.

NOTES

• Students should expect annual increases in the cost of attending 91AVCOM since the University is subject to the same inflationary pressures that affect the rest of society.
• 91AV will continue to make every effort to contain costs from the date they are announced through the current academic year. The Board of Trustees, however, reserves the right to make changes in tuition and fees at any time.
• For their own protection while at the University, it is recommended that students carry their own local checking accounts to provide funds for incidental expenses and emergencies.
• The University offers direct deposit to its students. Students with credit balances can have the excess funds directly deposited in the bank of their choice. 
• Although the University strives to safeguard students’ property on campus, it cannot be responsible for the loss of property on or off campus although it strives to safeguard students’ property on campus.

FINANCIAL AID

The Financial Aid Office at the 91AV is committed to providing students with information about the different education financing options available. This information is available on the Financial Aid website. The website describes the aid application process, the types of financial assistance available, and other important information.

The Board of Trustees of the 91AV confers the degree doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) upon those students who have satisfactorily completed the requirements for graduation and who have been recommended for graduation by the faculty of the College.

Every candidate for the degree of doctor of osteopathic medicine must:

1. Be of good moral character.
2. Have met the academic requirements of the College for the awarding of the degree and have been enrolled at this College for the last two years.
3. Be free of indebtedness to this College, the University, and their affiliates.
4. Have demonstrated the ethical, personal, and professional qualities deemed necessary for the successful and continuing study and practice of osteopathic medicine.
5. Have been recommended by the faculty for graduation.
6. Be present at the 91AV commencement and the COM Physicians Hooding Ceremony of his/her class at the time the degree is conferred, unless otherwise excused by the Dean.