Pharmacology Education, Osteopathic Principles Integration, Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment relations: Osteopathic Graduating Seniors’ Perception

Abstract

<b>Abstract ID 55284</b> <b>Poster Board 193</b> Pharmacology education in the preclinical years of medical school focuses on different drug classes and their uses, side effects, and contraindications to provide the base for clinical applications. In osteopathic medical schools, students are additionally introduced to osteopathic principles that focus on the body9s capability of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance. They also get appropriate training on osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT) as an additional tool to help their future patients. The relationship between osteopathic medical students9 perception and evaluation of pharmacology education, integration of osteopathic principles in the course work, and OMT training has not been thoroughly studied. This study analyzed the self-reported perception and evaluation of graduating seniors in osteopathic medical schools in the United States for their first two years of medical education between the 2012/2013 and 2020/2021 academic years. Descriptive statistics and correlations were analyzed using SPss version 26.0, and statistical inferences were considered significant whenever P ≤0.05. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the percentage of students who agreed that osteopathic principles were adequately integrated into coursework and the percentage of students who reported the perception of time devoted to pharmacology instruction as excessive (r=0.737*, p=0.023). A statistically significant negative correlation was founded between the percentage of students who agreed that an appropriate amount of training was provided in OMT and the percentage of students who reported a perception of time devoted to pharmacology instruction as excessive (r=- 0.735*, p= 0.024) or appropriate and (r=- 0.894**, p= 0.001). On the other hand, a statistically significant positive correlation was founded between the percentage of students who agreed that an appropriate amount of training was provided in OMT and the percentage of students who reported a perception of time devoted to pharmacology instruction as inadequate (r= 0.883**, p= 0.002). While pharmacology and OMT are excellent tools for osteopathic physicians in their practice guided by osteopathic principles, the current correlations in students9 perception and evaluation may support the calls for better integrations in preclinical years curriculum and more detailed studies to improve the osteopathic medical student learning experiences.