Incorporating Osteopathic Curriculum Into a Family Medicine Residency.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Literature review reveals that doctors of osteopathic medicine (DO) physicians desire to maintain their osteopathic identity and enhance their osteopathic skills during residency training. An effective osteopathic curriculum has enhanced the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Family Medicine Residency Program's recruitment of strong osteopathic residency candidates. UMKC has been a dually accredited family medicine residency since 2006. The study sought to determine resident attitudes toward osteopathic identity and principles and the perceived effectiveness of our osteopathic curriculum.

METHODS: An anonymous survey was sent to osteopathic residents and recent graduates still working within the Truman Medical Center (TMC) system. The survey questions assessed the perceived importance of osteopathic principles and the perceived effectiveness of the residency program's current osteopathic curriculum.

RESULTS: The response rate of DO physicians representing seven colleges of osteopathic medicine (COM) was 29/30 (97%). Respondents agreed that the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) program is one of the strengths of our family medicine residency program. Respondents planned to utilize osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) in their own practice. Osteopathic principles stratified in order of importance were: OMT benefits our patients, maintaining hands-on OMT skills, and learning to integrate OMT into your office treatment regimen.

CONCLUSIONS: Our residents value integrating OMT into their practices as a benefit to their patients, to maintain osteopathic skills, and to learn to integrate OMT into their office treatment regimen. They generally agreed that the AOA accredited program is one of the strengths of our residency program. They intend to utilize OMT when they are in practice.