Lecture presentations and small group tutorials are the heart of the Lecture/Discussion Pathway. Students usually spend the morning in lecture sessions and the afternoon in a combination of lectures, laboratories, tutorials, small-group discussions, and independent study where they have ample access to faculty members in the basic and clinical sciences.

The Lecture/Discussion Pathway is ideal for those students who:

• Learn well from a combination of presentations and readings;
• Are more comfortable in a teacher-directed environment.

Phase I: Core Curriculum

The beginning of the first year is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of Gross Anatomy (Embryology, Histology), Biochemistry, Immunology, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, and Physiology. Coursework and clinical training in osteopathic principles and practice is also interwoven throughout the Phase I curriculum. An introduction to medical ethics is also presented parallel to the core curriculum. Physicians must be acutely aware of the interrelationships between the practice of medicine and the business of medicine. The areas where these cross over are identified within the Health Care Management course, where emphasis is placed on non-clinical aspects of practicing medicine. During Phase II of the curriculum, each of the basic sciences is further developed, thus providing continuity in the educational process which promotes learning rather than memorization.

Clinical Human Gross Anatomy - 10.0 Credit Hours

Clinical Human Gross Anatomy is a lecture-discussion/prosection-dissection course wherein didactic lectures provide the student with knowledge necessary for successful sequential discovery of the structure of the human body. The knowledge gained from this experience leads the student to develop a fine appreciation for not only the structure of the human body, but also how each part is related to every other part. Clinical correlations are included within the lecture portion of this course to familiarize the student with clinical situations he or she may encounter in clinical medicine. Models, radiographs, computer software and special demonstrations are used to facilitate learning. Emphasis is placed throughout on structure-function relationships and the clinical applications of such knowledge.

Microbiology/Immunology - 4.5 Credit Hours

Microbiology/Immunology is designed to introduce the student to core concepts in immunology and infectious disease. Specifically, in the immunology component, students learn the basic concepts of immunology such as the innate and acquired immune systems. The focus of the course is on the immune response to various microbial agents as well as the failures of the immune system such as hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, immunodeficiency and transplantation reactions. The microbiology section of the course is a lecture/laboratory course designed to provide the student with knowledge of infectious diseases, the organisms responsible and the response of the body to the presence of these agents. The structure, function and genetics of bacterial and viral organisms and their relationships to pathogenicity will be discussed. Students will be introduced to the groups of pathogenic organisms including prions, viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Particular emphasis will be placed on the bacterial agents associated with the infectious diseases most commonly seen by the osteopathic primary physician. The virulence mechanisms and laboratory identification features will be covered during this course, with more in-depth coverage of the disease process of these organisms occurring during the systems. The prions, viruses, fungi and parasites will be discussed in the system with which they are most closely associated. Laboratories introduce students to aseptic techniques and proper handling and disposal of hazardous materials. In addition, the students become familiar with some of the most commonly used tests for laboratory identification of bacterial pathogens.

Physiology - 4 Credit Hours

Physiology presents an integrated approach to the fundamental concepts of physiology. Basic terminology and concepts are introduced and clinically relevant examples are presented. An overall understanding of the homeostatic functions of the autonomic nervous system and how physiological cell membranes regulate intercellular (electrical) conduction, as well as the maintenance of the body fluids is provided, as well as cellular functioning of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Includes a basic introduction to cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine and neuro physiology. The core course is designed to provide first-year students with a solid foundation of basic physiological principles that will be built upon in the subsequent systems courses and clinical applications

Pharmacology - 2.5 Credit Hours

Core Clinical Pharmacology is an introductory series of lectures designed to orient medical students to the effects of drugs on humans in both normal and pathologic states. The first portion of pharmacology deals with general principles in pharmacology, including drug absorption, distribution, action, toxicity, biotransformation, and elevation. The second portion of pharmacology focuses upon chemotherapeutic agents used in pharmacological principles previously presented. Concepts and principles which are important for the rational evaluation and utilization of drugs are introduced for application in future clinical scenarios. Pharmacotherapeutics is included throughout to complement subsequent presentations.

Biochemistry Core I - 3 Credit Hours

The Biochemistry Core Courses are designed to provide the Osteopathic medical student with a basic understanding of the biochemical principles which underlie normal cellular and physiological processes. These principles are the foundation for the medical explanation regarding molecular mechanisms of many clinical disorders. Throughout the course, clinical correlations are introduced to illustrate the linkages between basic biochemical principles and human disorders. This course will also provide the student with a broad base of knowledge to help facilitate his/her continuing medical education. The Biochemistry Core Course is divided into two distinct courses, Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II (including medical genetics). Biochemistry I, taught in the fall semester of the MSI year, will provide the student with basic tenets of biochemistry and introduce the student to various metabolic pathways of the body, and diseases that occur as a result of dysfunction.

Biochemistry Core II and Medical Genetics - 1.5 Credit Hours

Biochemistry II and medical genetics, taught in the spring semester of the MSI year, will build upon the information learned in Biochemistry Core I and fully prepare the students for special biochemistry topics that are presented throughout each of the 10 organ systems. In addition, the medical genetics portion of the curriculum will cover such topics as: autosomal dominant and recessive inheritance, sex-linked and mitochondrial inheritance, clinical cytogenetics, key disorders of metabolism, developmental genetics, cancer genetics, multifactorial inheritance, gene therapy.

Osteopathic Principles and Practice - 4.0 Credit Hours (per semester for years one and two)

The Osteopathic Principles and Practice course is designed as an introduction to the basic philosophy, principles and practice of osteopathic integrative health care. The course is offered continually throughout the four semesters of Phase I and Phase II. Emphasis is placed on the sequential development of palpatory diagnostic and therapeutic skills used to assess health and disease. The overall course integrates the osteopathic philosophy of patient care with the Systems approach of medical education. The course teaches osteopathic philosophy, problem solving and patient management, and how to incorporate multiple osteopathic manipulative techniques as appropriate, including muscle energy, fascial release, high velocity - low amplitude, counterstrain, articulatory techniques and osteopathic medicine in the cranial field. Application of these principles, and practice continues throughout the clinical rotations of Phase III. The course also offers an introduction to principles and philosophy of complementary and alternative medicine.

Pathology - 1.0 Credit Hour

Pathology is the science which seeks to provide a bridge between the other basic sciences and the clinical sciences. It involves study of the nature of disease, its causes, courses, complications and sequelae. This Core course provides an introduction to the basic changes in the morphology of cells, tissues, and organs in diseased states. Extensive exposure to clinically relevant topics helps the student to differentiate abnormal from normal, and to correlate the clinical aspects of these alterations. Also included is discussion on general characteristics, classification and differential diagnosis of cysts, benign and malignant tumors and other neoplastic entities. Cell injury and cell death, inflammation, repair processes, hemodynamic changes, neoplasia, and chemical and physical injuries are also discussed. Throughout the first two years, pathology is represented in each of the Systems to discuss the pathologies peculiar to and characteristic of the various systems of the body.

Health Care Management I (2 Credit Hours), III and IV (2.5 Credit Hours)

The first priority of all healthcare professionals has always been to provide high quality patient care. Today’s physicians, however, are expected to assume further executive and managerial responsibilities in addition to their clinical duties. Amid an increasingly regulated legal environment, physicians face a myriad of business decisions, strategic planning issues, contract negotiations, and compliance mandates. In this regard, this course will introduce the osteopathic medical student to management, marketing, accounting, financial, and economical concepts as they relate to the health care industry. Health Care Management is presented in the first year of the curriculum - Part I in the fall and Part II in the spring - and during specific clinical rotations.

Spirituality, Medicine and Ethics - 1.5 Credit Hours

This course enables medical students to explore spiritual beliefs and their impact on the holistic health of the patient. Through the integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes, it also familiarizes the students with ethical issues inherent in the practice of medicine.

Histology - 1 Credit Hour

Histology is a lecture course that offers knowledge about the ultrastructure of the human tissues. Histology often provides the link between morphology and function of the specific organs/tissues, hence it is necessary for understanding physiology and pathophysiology at the deeper level. Moreover, students are expected to be able to recognize human histological specimens with basic stainings, that is essential for the future pathohistological studies. The Histology course is clinically oriented, and intended to provide the necessary histological knowledge that future physicians need in diagnosis and treatment.

Doc Talk – 1 Credit Hour

Doc Talk is a series of 10 lectures that runs parallel to the basic sciences curriculum and introduces the clinical conversation for osteopathic medical students in the first semester of the OMS1 year. Doc Talk creates a bridge between the basic sciences and their clinical application. It introduces students to common clinical terms and highlights critical thinking skills used by clinicians. Lectures will be presented by the clinical faculty. “The History and Physical Examination Workbook: A Common Sense Approach” by Kauffman and Roth-Kauffman will serve as the textbook for the series.