Nov 14, 2024
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine 2024-2025

OCOM 6003 - The Osteopathic Approach to Patient Care 1 - Wellness


The Osteopathic Approach to Patient Care 1 Course emphasizes health and wellness, and provides overarching generalist topics via sequential patient presentations. Biomedical, social, osteopathic, clinical, and health systems science curricular threads are streamlined and optimized for course sequence of topics. Classroom experiences emphasize application and integration of foundational concepts learned through faculty- and learner-directed study, and laboratory-based experiences complement and reinforce course topics. Clinical and community experiences emphasize patient-centeredness and team-based care, and relate back to course topics and patient presentations via critical reflection via longitudinal academic and professional coaching/mentoring.

Credit Hours:12

Course Outcomes
  • Students will be able to articulate basic biomedical, clinical, and cognitive (behavioral and societal) science knowledge of breadth and depth necessary for the maintenance of human health and disease prevention across the life stages of a well patient.
  • Students will be able to appraise the interrelationships among mind, biochemistry, structure, and cultural/social context in the care of a well patient across the life stages.
  • Students will be able to perform a well patient encounter that reflects an accurate and osteopathic approach to the history and physical exam, using appropriate tools and palpatory skills, logical differential diagnosis, and correct documentation.
  • Students will be able to assess the influence of the following factors on the health, wellness, and/or illness of a patient: nutrition, physical activity, stress, sleep, genetics, epigenetics, emotional/mental/spiritual states, and social determinants.
  • Students will be able to critically evaluate the scientific method and ethical principles of medical information and its sources.
  • Students will be able to integrate standards of health promotion and disease prevention, such as evidence-based principles, clinical research and periodic health screening and maintenance guidelines, in the framework of a well visit.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate humanistic behavior, including respect, compassion, honesty, and trustworthiness in personal and professional interactions.
  • Students will be able to model effective verbal and nonverbal communication strategies and interviewing techniques that take into consideration perspectives of patients, families, and members of a healthcare team.
  • Students will be able to appropriately utilize information technology tools for supporting medical decision-making, documentation, and communication.
  • Students will be able to collaborate as a team member in educational and patient care environments, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and philosophy of care for the promotion of patient health and wellness.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate reflective practice and professionalism in giving timely, sensitive, and instructive feedback to others about their team performance and in receiving feedback related to own performance.
  • Students will be able to develop a process for personal and professional development that fosters osteopathic professional identity formation, an osteopathic approach to patient care, and personal wellness balanced with the needs of patients and society.
  • Students will be able to formulate a plan for engaging in personal and professional development that fosters professional and social advocacy and health justice.


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