The clinical ONMM Residency experience is augmented by a variety of formal opportunities for kinesthetic and didactic learning, teaching, and selective and elective options. Didactics, selectives, and electives allow exploration of osteopathic topics in greater detail and provide a strong foundation of knowledge, while teaching helps to solidify learning.
Didactic Education
Four hours weekly with ONMM faculty, focused on “digging deep” into osteopathic concepts of principles and practice and employing a kinesthetic approach to develop proficiency with osteopathic techniques. We utilize a progressive structured curriculum to review all regions of the body from a foundational perspective in the first eight months and then emphasize more advanced topics such as specific specialty-relevant OMM. The first week of each month generally evolves around a Journal Club article or reading and discussion of original works of AT Still, MD, DO. The second week of the month focuses on anatomy/radiology/board prep. The third week is residents’ choice, and the fourth week focuses on procedures and specific treatment modalities.
Osteopathic Family Medicine Training
Once each four-week block, as schedules permit, ONMM residents and faculty join allopathic and osteopathic family medicine residents, osteopathic students, and osteopathic family medicine faculty in a formal rotating didactic curriculum. ONMM residents function as teachers during these learning events, presenting curricular content in conjunction with faculty.
Anatomy with Dr. Frank Willard
Our didactic experience is enhanced by a monthly opportunity at the University of New England with Dr. Frank Willard. Dr. Willard is a phenomenal anatomist of national renown, and this experience includes review of anatomy dissections which are part of the University of New England collection. Our ONMM residents join sports medicine fellows and ONMM residents from other programs in Maine in this extraordinary learning opportunity.
Selectives & Electives
An individualized education plan is developed with each ONMM resident at the beginning of training, based on his or her interests and needs. This plan guides selection of selective and elective experiences that will maximize the learner’s development as a proficient and skilled osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine specialist. Selective assignments are based on ACGME-required rotations that residents did not complete during primary specialty residency and may include radiology, rheumatology, physical medicine & rehabilitation, pain management, occupational medicine, sports medicine, orthopedics, and podiatry. Selective rotations are assigned at MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Alfond Center for Health or its affiliated outpatient practices, and at VA Maine Health Care System’s Togus campus in Augusta.
Finally, informal learning is ongoing. We feel so fortunate that our outpatient setting allows us to work in close proximity to a growing collection of colleagues with diverse yet complementary backgrounds. It is common to see ideas germinate and medical knowledge grow simply by virtue of shared workspace and shared clinical experiences.