Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment is for All DOs
http://www.100md.com
《美国整骨期刊》
Tiverton Primary Care Associates Tiverton, RI
Osteopathic manipulative treatment has long been a useful tool at the disposal of primary care physicians. However, the attitude of many osteopathic physicians (DOs) today is that OMT has become a specialized procedure, with the average DO no longer believing that it is a useful skill that can be effectively integrated into daily practice.1 Some of the fault for this turn of events lies with the profession itself. In colleges of osteopathic medicine, osteopathic theory and methods are frequently taught by specialists in neuromuscular medicine, who themselves have limited and focused practices of musculoskeletal medicine. This may be one reason that many students end up feeling that the proper practice of OMT is so complicated and involved that they would never be able to successfully integrate it into their own practices—whether their practices are in primary care or other specialties.
Of course, the theories and methods of osteopathic manipulative medicine must be taught in osteopathic medical schools by experts in the field. Nevertheless, I believe that our profession needs to do more to help students realize that OMT can be performed not only by experts who are adept at treating those patients with complex musculoskeletal disorders, but also by all DOs in daily practice.
The osteopathic medical profession was built on the backs of primary care physicians who used OMT with proven results for their patients. As his letter makes clear, Dr Tessien did not administer long treatments, but he did win an excellent reputation and had patients coming from long distances to receive his treatments. His experience shows the beneficial results of manual therapy delivered by the hands of an osteopathic primary care physician. In addition, Dr Tessien showed that the skillful delivery of OMT is not limited to those DOs who specialize in neuromuscular medicine.
Students should be exposed to OMT both in the classroom and on clinical rotations. I advocate increasing the exposure of osteopathic medical students to primary care physicians skilled in using OMT. This will help students learn how to incorporate into practice the theories taught in the classroom by more specialized instructors.
References
1. Johnson SM, Kurtz, ME. Diminished use of osteopathic manipulative treatment and is impact on the uniqueness of the osteopathic profession. Acad Med. 2001;76:821 –828.(CHARLES H. CUMMINGS, DO)
Osteopathic manipulative treatment has long been a useful tool at the disposal of primary care physicians. However, the attitude of many osteopathic physicians (DOs) today is that OMT has become a specialized procedure, with the average DO no longer believing that it is a useful skill that can be effectively integrated into daily practice.1 Some of the fault for this turn of events lies with the profession itself. In colleges of osteopathic medicine, osteopathic theory and methods are frequently taught by specialists in neuromuscular medicine, who themselves have limited and focused practices of musculoskeletal medicine. This may be one reason that many students end up feeling that the proper practice of OMT is so complicated and involved that they would never be able to successfully integrate it into their own practices—whether their practices are in primary care or other specialties.
Of course, the theories and methods of osteopathic manipulative medicine must be taught in osteopathic medical schools by experts in the field. Nevertheless, I believe that our profession needs to do more to help students realize that OMT can be performed not only by experts who are adept at treating those patients with complex musculoskeletal disorders, but also by all DOs in daily practice.
The osteopathic medical profession was built on the backs of primary care physicians who used OMT with proven results for their patients. As his letter makes clear, Dr Tessien did not administer long treatments, but he did win an excellent reputation and had patients coming from long distances to receive his treatments. His experience shows the beneficial results of manual therapy delivered by the hands of an osteopathic primary care physician. In addition, Dr Tessien showed that the skillful delivery of OMT is not limited to those DOs who specialize in neuromuscular medicine.
Students should be exposed to OMT both in the classroom and on clinical rotations. I advocate increasing the exposure of osteopathic medical students to primary care physicians skilled in using OMT. This will help students learn how to incorporate into practice the theories taught in the classroom by more specialized instructors.
References
1. Johnson SM, Kurtz, ME. Diminished use of osteopathic manipulative treatment and is impact on the uniqueness of the osteopathic profession. Acad Med. 2001;76:821 –828.(CHARLES H. CUMMINGS, DO)