86 NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Colleges and Academic Centers Nutrition, and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.). Concurrent and dual degree options include the D.O./M.P.H. and D.O./M.S. (areas of focus include health informatics, nutrition, and medical education, among others). D.O. PROGRAM The D.O. program strives to prepare high-quality, compassionate physicians with an emphasis on primary care disciplines and their vital role in rural, urban, and underserved communities. As a result, more than half of our alumni practice in family medicine, internal medicine, or general pediatrics. A significant number of our graduates also choose other specialties or sub-specialties. The innovative curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, guiding students to a holistic, osteopathic approach to medicine, and correlating basic scientific information with fundamental clinical appli- cation. Students have the opportunity for exposure to clinical settings in their second semester, which begins to prepare them for the real world of medicine. A systems approach to classes integrates material learned from the various departments so that clinical aspects, pathophysiology of diseases, and disorders of each system are addressed. Throughout the course of study, the principles and practice of osteopathic medicine, including manipulative techniques, are applied in specific fields, and attention is given to the fields of community medicine, geriatrics, minority medicine, and the humanities. Students can also undertake basic or applied research or scholarly study under faculty member supervision. To sustain its place at the forefront of osteopathic medical education, the college consistently reviews and updates its curriculum by implementing pro- gressive programs and interactive student-learning tools. The use of high-fidelity manikin simulators and standardized patients allows students to further hone their arsenal of clinical skills. Various modes of education and of cutting-edge technology, such as 3D virtual anatomy software, have offered our students ample hands-on learning opportunities. Students receive clinical training in a vast and comprehensive network of affiliated public and private hospitals, medical practices, ambulatory centers, and public health units, as well as at the NSU healthcare centers. A notable aspect of the clinical training program is a required, three-month rotation in medically underserved practice settings. For two months, students rotate in rural and urban clinics throughout the state of Florida, assisting in providing healthcare to medically underserved and indigent patient populations and learning to treat ethnic groups whose lifestyles, practices, and cultural attitudes toward healthcare differ from those in more traditional training sites. This enriching educational experience is one that cannot be taught in the classroom. The third month can be at a site that is within or outside the United States, selected by the student, and approved by the college. Physicians do not work in a vacuum; they are part of a healthcare team. The college uses the resources of the university’s multidisciplinary healthcare centers to provide a comprehensive learning experience. While on campus, medical students share faculty members, classes, and campus facilities with other Health Professions Division students and participate along with other disciplines in the comanagement of a diverse patient base as part of their clinical training. The college exposes students to all aspects of managed care and integrated healthcare systems to provide them with the knowledge and skills they will need to function in the constantly changing healthcare environment. The college keeps pace with the changing healthcare system through partnerships with community, health, and educational organizations to better prepare students and residents for their future professional roles. Practice areas in affiliated graduate medical education programs include a wide variety of specialties and sub-specialties.
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