91AV

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

Core Values

• Support the creation and maintenance of outstanding medical practitioners.

• Maintain a caring, collegial environment.

• Foster integrity and accountability through a strong ethical base.

• Advance our commitment to the heritage and principles of osteopathic medicine.

• Facilitate Learning, critical thinking, research and scholarship.

• Shape the future creatively while preserving our heritage.

• Promote an innovative, interprofessional and entrepreneurial culture.

• Utilize evidence-based methods, practice-focused research, scholarship, critical thinking and a variety of learning modalities to improve health education and healthcare outcomes.

• Excel in practice-focused research in health, function and medical education.

• Actively seek internal and external collaboration to further our mission.

The degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), granted to graduates of osteopathic medical schools, demonstrates to the public that these physicians received a unique and distinctive education based upon the general principles articulated by its founder, Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, and by the American Osteopathic Association.

Consistent with the philosophy and training programs of the osteopathic profession, the majority of osteopathic physicians practice primary care specialties. Their focus on holistic medicine, one of the basic tenets of their osteopathic heritage, directs 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 for careers in other medical and surgical specialties, and in settings such as active military practice, hospitalist care, and academic health centers. All 50 states in the USA and more than 50 countries offer unlimited medical licensure to qualified osteopathic physicians.

1. Curriculum Overview

NOTE: Medical education is continuously evolving in alignment with best practices for learning and teaching. To maintain the most up-to-date, productive learning environment for our students, the 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine (91AV COM) reserves the right to revise and amend as appropriate the policies and practices described in this catalog.

The 91AV COM 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 health care to the ill. To that end, 91AV COM provides an innovative, contemporary, patient-focused curriculum that fosters life-long, self-directed, evidence-based learning and professional development.

Our progressive, integrated four-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 21^st century.

2. Pre-Clerkship Education

91AV COM students spend the first two years of the program on the 91AV (91AV) campuses in Biddeford and Portland, 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. Facilitated learning sessions include traditional didactic lectures, interactive problem solving sessions, patient case-based 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 dialogue between faculty and students is characteristically valued and encouraged.

Progressive, level-appropriate mastery of the seven Core Competencies identified by the American Osteopathic Association serves as the educational outcome 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. The specially constructed Leonard Hall redefines the teaching and learning environment by creating an intentional space that fosters group dialogue, case-based study, and interactive connection using emerging technologies. The Harold Alfond Center for Health Sciences houses laboratories and lecture halls that place 91AV COM at the national forefront of health and life sciences education. The Donor Lab (including cadaveric dissection) is 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 teaching, testing and evaluation facility with well-established Standardized Patient and Patient Simulator Programs.

Capitalizing on the University’s support of multiple degree programs in the health and allied health professions, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant and social work, the College engages in intensive interprofessional education and collaboration.

3. Clerkship Education

The last two years of predoctoral training focuses on experiential learning in a clinical setting to further develop individual and team learning and to expand clinical acumen. The entire third year curriculum is conducted, over a twelve month period, at one of the designated Clinical Campuses.

The 91AV COM Clinical Campuses form a consortium of community based education sites, each consisting of one or more training institutions, within a specific geographic region, that allows coordinated delivery of the core academic training experience. Each campus provides the patient base, didactic and experiential learning opportunities, supervisory infrastructure and longitudinal evaluation necessary for the accomplishment of the educational goals of core clerkships. The College’s Clinical Campuses are located in the New England states, as well as in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Year 3 students are assigned to clerkships in the six core disciplines at one of the College’s Clinical Campuses. Reflecting its focus on primary care, 91AV COM clinical campus training programs are based in community hospitals, private physician offices, and community health centers, throughout the northeast, that represent environments in which many 91AV COM graduates will eventually practice. Ambulatory care programs train students in office practice and familiarize them 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. Many of these hospitals also provide Graduate Medical Education (GME) as members of the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN) (see below). Year 4 students continue their learning with selective and elective clinical rotations at 91AV COM-approved programs of their choice.

Please see the Core predoctoral clinical clerkship affiliates for more information. The list of Clinical Campuses is subject to change and may vary from year to year.

4. Postgraduate Education

91AV COM enjoys an educational affiliation with a number of postgraduate internship and residency programs through its Osteopathic Postgraduate Training Institute (OPTI) known as the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN). As academic sponsor of these independent programs, the College serves as a liaison with the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) to assure compliance with accreditation criteria required for AOA approval of the training programs. As postgraduate medical education transitions to the new single accreditation system under the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) these affiliations will remain in place. 91AV COM 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.

5. Concurrent Graduate Degree Program

91AV COM offers medical students the opportunity of pursuing a in Public Health while pursuing the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) is an academic program of the 91AV (91AV). 91AV is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC CIHE), whose mission is to establish and maintain high standards of education through the doctoral level. Accreditation by NEASC signifies that 91AV meets or exceeds those high standards.

1. Predoctoral Medical Education

The College of Osteopathic Medicine receives accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA COCA), the only national accrediting agency for predoctoral osteopathic medical education in the United States.

Being granted full accreditation signifies that the College of Osteopathic Medicine meets or exceeds the COCA standards for educational quality and is deemed to have the qualifications to confer the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) to its graduates.

2. Postdoctoral Medical Education

Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institutions (OPTIs) are academic sponsors providing an enhanced quality assurance mechanism for all AOA-approved postdoctoral training programs. While an OPTI ensures a seamless continuum of osteopathic medical education, it also requires continuous educational assessment.

As a sponsor of independent postgraduate internship and residency programs through its OPTI, known as the Northeast Osteopathic Medical Education Network (NEOMEN), 91AV COM serves as a liaison with the American Osteopathic Association, the only accrediting agency for osteopathic postdoctoral medical education, to assure compliance with accreditation criteria required for AOA approval of affiliated postdoctoral training programs.

NOTE: The AOA, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) have agreed to establish a for graduate medical education programs in the US, with AOA-accredited training programs transitioning to ACGME accreditation between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2020. Our affiliations with residency programs will remain in place as we move through this transition.

3. Continuing Medical Education

91AV COM’s Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association and the Maine Medical Association and provides postdoctoral medical education to both osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) physicians. Each agency grants accreditation based on the demonstrated ability to plan and implement CME activities in accordance with accreditation requirements. 91AV COM is one of a handful of providers to hold the distinction of maintaining this dual accreditation and sponsors collaborative CME activities for these two physician groups.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine maintains its accreditations with continued adherence to required sets of criteria and its commitment to continual quality review and improvement of its programs and services.

4. Articulation Agreements

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

Qualified students enrolled in the Medical Biology- Medical Sciences track at the 91AV College of Arts and Sciences (91AV CAS) may apply for early admission to the College of Osteopathic Medicine following their junior year. The provides the opportunity for mature, qualified 91AV CAS students to complete an undergraduate degree and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree in seven years.

91AV COM has established agreements enabling qualified students from the following institutions to have preferential consideration in applying to 91AV COM. They are:

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

In addition, 91AV COM and the following institutions have entered into agreements whereby qualified individuals who have previously completed a baccalaureate degree can fulfill the required prerequisite courses at their Post-baccalaureate institution and be considered for admission:

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

1. 91AV COM Courses – Year 1

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IA – 14 Credits

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IA (OMK IA) is a multidisciplinary course designed to introduce medical science knowledge that underpins the practice of osteopathic medicine. The OMK IA curriculum integrates the biomedical and clinical sciences, focusing on a different clinical presentation each week. 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 develops cognitive skills and attitudes that support continual acquisition of medical knowledge.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA ­- 14 credits

The aim of Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA (OCS 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. OCS IA provides students with a solid knowledge of clinical anatomy as the basis for competent and safe performance of physical examination and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM); instructs learners in the art and skill of medical history taking; provides an understanding of human structure and function in order to formulate a clinical temporal profile leading to a differential diagnosis; and represents the foundation of osteopathic knowledge and skills that will be developed longitudinally throughout the learner’s medical education and practice.

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IB - 14 credits

OMK IB is a continuation of OMK IA and builds on the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed by the medical scholar in the earlier course.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IB - 14 credits

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

2. 91AV COM Courses – Year 2

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IIA – 16 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 and 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 91AV COM 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 – 12 credits

This course is the two-year longitudinal continuation of the OCS 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 clinical training rotations in Years 3 and 4. OCS 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 OMK II series of courses and include standardized patient experiences, osteopathic manual medicine skills sessions, geriatric mentors with seniors, clinical skills assessment, and differential diagnosis.

Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IIB – 16 credits

This semester long course continues the integration – begun in previous OMK courses – of the foundational underlying biomedical scientific principles with the most common and/or important patient presentations related to a variety of body systems.

Osteopathic Clinical Skills IIB – 12 credits

This course continues the two-year longitudinal OCS 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 osteopathic clinical skills and knowledge, and facilitate their development into exceptional third year medical students.

The following table provides a more detailed view of the 91AV COM Courses in Years 1 and 2:

3. 91AV COM Courses – Years 3 & 4

The student is required to complete 82 weeks of clinical training in Years 3 and 4. 91AV COM defines three categories of clinical requirements:

• Core: Required Discipline; The student is assigned by the 91AV COM Office of Clinical Education; Core rotations are typically referred to as “clerkships.”

• Selective: Required Discipline; Site selected by the student, subject to approval by the Office of Clinical Education.

• Elective: Discipline and Site selected by the student, subject to approval by the Office of Clinical Education.

The following table shows the distribution of requirements. Students must complete Cores before commencing 4th year Selectives and Electives:

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.

1.   Technical Standards

Medical education requires that the accumulation of scientific knowledge be accompanied by the simultaneous acquisition of specific skills and professional attitudes and behavior. Medical school faculties have a responsibility to society to matriculate and graduate the best possible physicians, and thus admission to medical school has been offered to those who present the highest qualifications for the study and practice of medicine. All required courses in the curriculum are necessary in order to develop essential skills required to become a competent general physician.

The essential technical standards presented are pre-requisite for matriculation, subsequent promotion from year to year, and ultimately graduation from the 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine (91AV COM). These standards pertain to all students enrolled in 91AV COM.

The faculty is committed to fostering relationships with its students that encourage human and professional growth. Its policies and procedures attempt to reflect this commitment to proactive and supportive communication. At the same time, it is imperative that all students recognize that the primary responsibility for a successful medical school education, both in and outside the classroom, rests with the individual student.

All students, including students with disabilities, must have the capacity to manage their lives and anticipate their own needs. Situations can arise in which a student’s behavior and attitudes resulting from a disability or other personal circumstances present a problem which impairs the student’s ability to meet the College’s standards, even after reasonable accommodations have been considered and, if appropriate, made by the College.

The College’s obligation and mission is to produce effective and competent osteopathic, primary care physicians and to seek candidates and graduate physicians who will be best able to serve the needs of society. Therefore, all applicants, regardless of disability, will be held to the same admission standards, and all enrolled students, regardless of disability, will be held to the same academic standards, understanding that all properly submitted requests for reasonable accommodation will be considered.

Policies:

1. No otherwise, qualified individual will be denied admission to 91AV COM based solely upon a disabling condition.

2. Students with disabilities applying for admission to 91AV COM will be expected to have achieved the same requirements as their non-disabled peers, with reasonable accommodation provided, if properly requested and approved.

3. Enrollment in 91AV COM assumes that admitted students will possess certain levels of cognitive, emotional, and technical skill. Osteopathic medical students with disabilities will be held to the same fundamental standards as their non-disabled peers. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to assist the student in learning, performing and satisfying the fundamental standards, so long as the student applies properly for the accommodation/s and they are approved.

4. The College is obligated to provide reasonable accommodations that will eliminate or minimize the barriers disabled students may face in the process of successfully completing the requirements for graduation from 91AV COM. Accommodations are not reasonable if they would fundamentally alter the nature of the program, lower programmatic standards, impose an undue burden to the College, significantly impact the rights of other students in the program, or pose a health or safety risk to any other individual, including patients.

Abilities and Skills:
A candidate for the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree must have abilities and skills of five varieties: (1) observation skills; (2) communication skills; (3) fine and gross motor skills; (4) conceptual, integrative and quantitative, cognitive skills and (5) behavioral and social/emotional skills.

I. Observation Skills
The student must be able to acquire a defined level of required information as presented through demonstrations and experiences in the basic sciences, including, but not limited to, information conveyed through physiologic and pharmacological demonstrations in animals, dissection of cadavers, examination of specimens in anatomy, pathology, and neuroanatomy laboratories, microbiologic cultures, microscopic study of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. Furthermore, a candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance, and close at hand, acquire information from written documents and visualize information as presented in images from paper, films, radiographs, computer screens, slides or video. The student must be capable of using instruments such as, but not limited to, a stethoscope, an ophthalmoscope, a microscope, an otoscope, and a sphygmomanometer. Such observation and information acquisition necessitates the functional use of visual, auditory and somatic sensation while being enhanced by the functional use of other sensory modalities. An intact sense of smell is necessary to assist in the clinical setting. 

In any case where a candidate’s ability to observe or acquire information through these sensory modalities is compromised, (i.e. physical disabilities or chemical sensitivities/allergies) the student must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to acquire and demonstrate the essential information without reliance upon another person’s interpretation of the information.

II. Communication Skills
The student must be able to effectively, efficiently and respectfully communicate in English using verbal, written, and reading skills, in a manner that demonstrates sensitivity to patients, their families and all members of the health care team.

A student must be able to accurately elicit information, describe a patient’s change in mood, thought, activity and posture. Students must demonstrate established communication skills using traditional or alternative reasonable means that do not fundamentally modify this standard. Assistive devices may be used, if appropriate under these standards

III. Motor Skills
The student must be able to, with or without the use of assistive devices, but without reliance on another person, interpret x-ray and other graphic images and digital or analog representations of physiologic phenomenon (such as EKGs).

The ability to participate in basic diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers and procedures, including but not limited to palpation, percussion, and auscultation is required. Students must have sufficient motor function to safely execute movements required to provide osteopathic manipulative medical care to patients. Students must be able to negotiate patient care environments and must be able to maneuver between settings, such as clinic, classroom building, and hospital. Physical stamina sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study is required. Long periods of sitting, standing, and moving are required in classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences.

It is also essential for a student to be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general and emergency diagnosis, osteopathic manipulative care, and medical care such as airway management, placement of intravenous catheters, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and suturing of wounds. At all times the ability to administer care to patients in a safe manner is paramount.

IV. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Skills
The student must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize information in a timely fashion. In addition, the student must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structure. Problem-solving, the critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities. These problem-solving skills must be able to be performed in the precisely limited time demanded by each specific clinical setting.

V. Behavioral and Social/Emotional Skills
Every student must behave in a manner exhibiting high moral and behavioral standards reflecting the position and status of an osteopathic physician.  Students need to show respect for individuals and groups without regard for age, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, including gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability or veteran status.  Students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients.

Students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and to learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients. They must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize information effectively in a precisely limited time demanded by each specific clinical setting, while under stress, and in an environment in which other distractions may be present.

Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and educational processes.

Participation in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Laboratories:
Active participation in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Laboratories is an admission, matriculation, and graduation requirement. The development of manipulative medicine palpatory skills is taught in all four years of the curriculum. This learning requires active participation in all laboratory sessions. During the first two years, each student will palpate, in the laboratory setting, a variety of people representing both genders and individuals with different body types to simulate the diversity of patients expected in a practice setting. Being palpated by other students and faculty helps the student appreciate how palpation feels from the patients’ perspective, and enables students to provide feedback to their laboratory partners, thus, enhancing their palpatory skills. Reading and observation, although helpful, do not develop the skills required to perform palpatory diagnosis and manipulative treatment. Each student is required to actively participate as both an active learner and recipient in all skills development laboratory sessions.

General Health
The student must have sufficient physical stamina to perform strenuous workloads for long periods. They should be free of chronic or reoccurring debilitating diseases that would interfere with or require a fundamental alteration of the program or preclude successful completion of the curriculum.

2. Student Rights and Responsibilities

As part of its review, the 91AV COM Committee on Admissions evaluates each applicant in the areas of personal and academic integrity and personal values. An invitation to join the 91AV COM community indicates that the institution believes 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.

3. Standards for Professional Behavior and Conduct

In order to evaluate acceptable demonstration of professional behavior and conduct for graduation, the 91AV COM faculty has adopted the following standards.

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

1. Behave in a responsible, reliable and dependable manner (e.g., manage time well; be on time for assignments, meetings, and appointments; plan ahead and follow through with commitments; cooperate with person(s) in charge of programs; and take responsibility for absences or missed assignments).

2. Demonstrate personal integrity, honesty, and self-discipline (e.g., be consistent and truthful, to show appropriate personal control; take on tasks that he/she can manage; 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., maintain awareness of personal hygiene; wear a white coat and name tag, if expected; notify preceptor or other leader in case of emergency absence or calls; apologize if unable to notify in advance; 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 and to strive to correct them (e.g., overcome negative behaviors such as procrastination; learn to be a team member; adapt to new situations; and 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., meet with supposed antagonists to resolve misunderstandings; get needed help from faculty advisors, tutors, counselors, learning assistance professionals and other qualified persons; 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., request help when needed and to avoid endangering others; respect the difference between physician and physician-­in-­training (i.e., doctor and student doctor); remain focused on the task at hand; remember that as a student doctor he/she represents 91AV COM 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., be responsive to feedback and constructive criticism regarding professional behavior and attitude, and understand the seriousness of academic and disciplinary warnings).

8. Demonstrate compassion and respect toward others (e.g., work cooperatively with differences and diversity in personalities and in cultural backgrounds as well as with differences in social and in economic status; and 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.

4. Registration

The University conducts an annual registration for students during the start of 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 Office of Academic Affairs. The Office of the University Registrar enrolls 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 rotation grades. As the completed rotations are processed, the “place holder” is removed and the actual rotation and grade are entered into the academic record. Students are required to confirm their enrollments as classes/educational activities 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 the Office of Recruitment, Student and Alumni Services. In addition, all new, incoming students are required to undergo a complete physical examination, meet 91AV COM immunization requirements, and complete the medical questionnaire provided by the University as a prerequisite to enrollment. Failure to comply with meeting immunization requirements may result in the inability to register for courses, receive course grades or proceed with clinical assignments.

5. 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.

6.Student Access and Annual Notification

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

1. 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. 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. 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. file a complaint with the US 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
US Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202­4605

FERPA permits the University to disclose "directory information" without a student's consent. Directory information is defined as: name, address, e­mail 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.

7.Student Enrollment Status

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

8. 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 (which consists of 2 parts) are completed during the predoctoral years and Level 3 is given to qualified graduates during their first year of postgraduate (residency) training. In particular, the Level 2 examination consists of two independent components – a Cognitive Evaluation (Level 2-­CE) and a Performance Evaluation (Level 2-­PE). The former predominantly tests a student’s knowledge base and the latter predominantly his/her clinical skills. Students are eligible for the Level 1 examination after achieving a minimum COMSAE Phase 1 score of 500, having advanced to Year 2, and after approval from the College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM). Students become eligible for the Level 2 examinations after successfully passing COMLEX Level 1, achieving a minimum COMSAE Phase 2 score of 500, having advanced to Year 3, and after approval from the COM. Students must have a passing score on COMLEX-USA Level 1 in order to begin rotations at clinical campus sites. 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.

Students are allowed a maximum of six years (or within 150% of the standard time to obtain the degree) to complete all of the College of Osteopathic Medicine curriculum, including passage of COMLEX-USA Level 1, and Level 2 PE and CE. At the conclusion of six years (or within 150% of the standard time to obtain the degree), students who have not met all requirements 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 and CE no later than October 31 of the year preceding their anticipated graduation date in order to receive scores in time to meet residency ranking and graduation requirements. This may require registration and scheduling with NBOME up to 18 months in advance.  It is recommended that these exams be taken earlier in order to ensure that the exams are passed with sufficient time to allow for retesting if necessary.

9. Laptop Requirement

The College has instituted a mandatory laptop computer requirement. Specifics regarding the minimum configuration are updated and made available annually.

10.Course Grade Reporting

The process of determining grades and the criteria for passing a course are described explicitly in each course syllabus ratified by the Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) and posted prior to the beginning of the course.

A final course grade is determined by the course director and must comply with the standards and principles endorsed by the Curriculum Advisory Committee.

1. Attendance

The 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine creates a variety of venues to support high quality learning and teaching, which the attendance policy strives to support by honoring students' varied learning styles and by allowing faculty and course directors to maintain the integrity of the curriculum. Working in conjunction with the teaching faculty of a course, the course director(s) will specify which educational sessions are mandatory or optional and post this information in the course syllabus or student calendar well in advance of the session.

2. Academic Standing

The Committee on Student Progress (CSP) is responsible for making recommendations to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA) or the Associate Dean for Clinical Education (ADCE) on matters related to student performance, including disciplinary and academic matters. As it deems necessary, the CSP may identify students experiencing academic difficulties and inform appropriate faculty and administrative personnel of such to initiate corrective or remedial action which needs to be taken. Annually, CSP makes recommendations to the Dean on the promotion of students to the next class. 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 CSP may review the status of a student whenever the student's performance is found to be unsatisfactory in the accumulation of knowledge or skills 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, clinical rotation (clerkship) or other educational activities.

3. Failure to obtain a satisfactory grade in either the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Self-Assessment Examination (COMSAE), or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX).

4. 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.

5. 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 and deliberation on any matter, 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 must be taken according to the severity of the deficiency, the student's overall achievement and circumstances surrounding the deficiency (illness, family emergency, etc.):

1. 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.

2. Student is to undertake special projects or studies required to address the perceived deficiency.

3. Student is placed on academic or disciplinary probation for a stated period of time.

4. Student is required to repeat the course(s), preceptorship(s), clerkship(s), or other educational activity in which there is a deficiency.

5. Student is required to repeat the academic year.

6. Student is recommended for a leave of absence or suspension from the College.

7. Student is recommended for dismissal from the College.

3. Withdrawal/Dismissal

A student who is required to repeat an academic year or is suspended or dismissed from the College may appeal this decision to the Dean according to the guidelines in the University Student Handbook. The Dean may, at his/her discretion, convene a 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 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.

Probation: Placement of a student on academic probation or disciplinary probation indicates the student’s failure to maintain satisfactory 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 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 Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (ADAA)  or the Associate Dean of Clinical Education (ADCE) 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.

4. Academic Progress

1. Course Failures

1. All students are expected to meet the requirements for passing by the end of a course.

2. 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.

3. 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:

1. repeat the course when it is next offered, or

2. repeat the entire academic year, or

3. dismissal from the college.

2. Course Retesting or Academic Intervention Policy

1. The syllabus of the original course, which requires Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) approval, will specify the dates and duration of any allowable retesting or academic intervention.

2. All courses that allow for academic intervention 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 re­assessment and/or academic intervention.

3. A 91AV COM student who is assigned a final grade of Failure (F) in a course which allows retesting or academic intervention maybe allowed to enroll in a formal educational activity recommended by CSP with approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (ADAA) or the Associate Dean of Clinical Education( ADCE).

4. Permission to pursue retesting or academic intervention will be based upon:

1. the criteria for eligibility published in the course syllabus and

2. the student’s overall performance in the course.

5. The academic intervention will:

1. be constructed and monitored by the original course director, or, if it is conducted at a remote site, monitored by the original course director;

2. be listed with the Registrar as a separate course; and,

3. carry a tuition charge
3. Upon successful completion of the retesting or academic intervention, the student will be given a grade of Pass (P) for the course.
8. Failure on the assessment following the completion of a retest or academic intervention activity will result in the student being considered for one of the following actions:
9. repeat the course when it is next offered, or

2. repeat the academic year, or

3. dismissal from the college.   

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.

Exceptional 91AV undergraduate students aspiring to a career in medicine or dentistry may apply to the 91AV HuMed program which provides the opportunity that spans their junior and senior years as an undergraduate and their four years in 91AV’s College of Osteopathic Medicine or College of Dental Medicine. 91AV HuMed makes it possible to deepen student learning in English, History, or Liberal Studies while they prepare for a career as a dentist or an osteopathic physician. Requirements are described at .

During their years as an undergraduate in 91AV’s College of Arts and Sciences, students complete the requisite coursework in the natural sciences to prepare for their graduate education, while earning a Bachelor of Arts in English, History, or Liberal Studies.  As a HuMed student, they are not required to take the DAT or the MCAT.  Instead, the College of Osteopathic Medicine requires individuals to take the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude test (UKCAT). In both programs, students have an assurance of acceptance contingent upon fulfilling the HuMed curricular requirements and passing the interview process.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the 91AV’s College of Osteopathic Medicine 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

¹AP credits will only be accepted for English and Behavioral Science prerequisite (3 credits each). No AP credits will be accepted for science prerequisites. International Baccalaureate credits, CLEP exams and other test credits are not accepted.

• Upper level coursework can be accepted to fulfill general science requirements.
• 91AV COM will accept the online science courses offered through .
• All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of  “C” or better (”C-­”grades are not acceptable).  Pass/Fail coursework will not be accepted for prerequisite requirements.
• Prerequisite coursework must be completed by January 1 of the matriculation year. Please include any in-progress or planned coursework in your American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service () application.  Planned or in-progress prerequisites not listed on the AACOMAS application will result in not meeting our minimum requirements.

• Additional coursework in Genetics, Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, Math/Statistics, Cell/Molecular, Biology, Anatomy, or Physiology are recommended.

ACADEMIC/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Minimum requirements for application to 91AV COM:

• 90 semester hours or 75 percent credit towards a baccalaureate degree from a US regionally accredited university, or international equivalent, at time of application resulting in a degree awarded prior to matriculation
• Cumulative GPA of 2.8 or better and a science GPA of 2.8 or better as calculated by AACOMAS at time of application
• Satisfactory completion of the Medical College Admissions Test () taken within two (2) years of application with a minimum score of 490 (no two digit scores will be accepted). MCAT scores must be sent directly from the testing service (AAMC) to AACOMAS (number 600). 91AV COM will not accept the January 2018 MCAT scores.

Applicants who meet minimum requirements for application should understand that the average GPA and test scores for students accepted into the program are well above the minimum requirements. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to submit a supplemental application, invitation to interview or acceptance.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Applicants are encouraged to complete their AACOMAS applications as early as possible in the admissions cycle in order to ensure consideration for an invitation to interview.

• All applicants to 91AV's College of Osteopathic Medicine must electronically submit their application through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service ().
• AACOMAS will not send your application to 91AV COM until it is completed and verified. Please be sure to check the status of your AACOMAS portal account to be certain that all of your materials have been received and your application has been sent to your selected schools. We will notify you via email when 91AV COM has received your application. Additional communications will be sent throughout the admissions cycle as your status changes.
• Once 91AV has received your verified AACOMAS application, a preliminary review of your application will begin and qualified applicants will be offered invitations to submit payment for the 91AV COM supplemental application. The supplemental application fee, of $55.00, must be paid to be considered for admission. Supplemental application questions have been embedded into the primary AACOMAS application.
• Once the supplemental application fee has been received, applications will be reviewed for completion, including all required letters of recommendation.  Completed applications will then be reviewed for interview offers on a rolling admissions basis. 
• On-campus interviews are offered to qualified applicants by invitation only and are required for admission. On-Campus Interview Sessions will be held September through March on select Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Admissions are rolling and decisions are made after weekly interview sessions.
• Additional policies​
  • 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 visitfor details.
  • As required by the College and clinical training sites, students will be subject to criminal background checks and drug screens prior to matriculation, and periodically throughout the COM program.
  • All students must meet the Essential Technical Standards of the 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• International Admissions
  • International applicants and applicants with international degrees (including Canadian students and students with Canadian coursework/degrees) must have their transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited US institution through the World Education Service (see ).
  • 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 ).
  • If an applicant cannot prove English Proficiency in another way, scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language () are required and must be submitted as a part of the completed application. 

POLICY EXCEPTIONS
The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program and the COM Admissions Committee, in collaboration with the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, reserves 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.

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 Osteopathic Medicine program at 91AV COM. 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 and Professional Admissions, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME, 04005, not to AACOMAS. The transfer candidate must provide:

• Letter of application
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, including the current College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores
• Official scores for the COMLEX USA- Level 1
• Letter from the Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine in which the student is enrolled, stating that the student is in satisfactory academic and social standing.
• 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.

1. Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include required background checks, books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog. A student may incur additional tuition expense if their course of study extends beyond four (4) years.

2. Special Examination Fee

All students are required to take and pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 1, Level 2-CE, and Level 2-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 by the student.

3. Leave of Absence Tuition Credit

In the event a student desires to apply for a leave of absence, a Withdrawal/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 91AV COM 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. 

4. Financial Aid

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