20 Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care. In order to carry out the activities described below, students in the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program at the KPCOM must be able to integrate consistently, quickly, and accurately all information received. They must also have the ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Qualitative Abilities Students must have critical thinking ability sufficient for problem-solving and good clinical judgment. This is necessary to identify cause/effect relationships and to develop plans of action or plans of care. In addition, students should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures. Students are expected to be able to perform multiple tasks in a diverse, dynamic, highly competitive, and challenging learning environment. They must be able to think quickly and accurately in an organized manner, despite environmental distractions. Examples include, but are not limited to, identification of cause/effect relationships in clinical situations, development of treatment plans, transferring knowledge from one situation to another, evaluating outcomes, problem-solving, prioritizing, and using short- and long-term memory. Interpersonal Communication Students must be able to interact and communicate effectively with respect to policies, protocols, and process—with faculty and staff members, students, patients, patient surrogates, and administration—during their educational program. They must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients. Communication includes not only speech, but also reading and writing. Students must also be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in all written forms with all members of the health care team. They must have interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. Students must have sufficient proficiency with English to retrieve information from texts and lectures and communicate concepts on written exams and patient charts; elicit patient backgrounds; describe patient changes in moods, activity, and posture; and coordinate patient care with all members of the health care team. Students must be able to communicate or provide communication in lay language so that patients and their families can understand the patient’s conditions, treatment options, and instructions. Students must be able to accurately enter information in the patient’s electronic health record, according to each program’s requirements. Motor Skills Osteopathic medicine students must have sufficient motor function to execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required of some health care professionals are cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), administration of intravenous medication, the application of pressure to stop bleeding, the opening of obstructed airways, and the ability to calibrate and use various pieces of equipment. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of touch and vision. Strength and Mobility Students must have sufficient mobility to attend emergency codes and to perform such maneuvers as CPR when required. They must have the physical ability to move sufficiently from room to room and to maneuver in small places. Osteopathic medicine students must have the ability to position patients for the administration and delivery of osteopathic manipulative treatment in a variety of settings and to position and move patients when required. Hearing Students must have sufficient auditory ability to monitor and assess auditory communication, when necessary. Osteopathic medicine students must be able to hear information given by the patient in answer to inquiries; to hear cries for help; to hear features in an examination, such as the auscultatory sounds; and to monitor equipment. Visual Osteopathic medicine students must have visual ability sufficient for observation, assessment, and rendering of treatment necessary in patient care. It must be consistent in many cases with being able to assess asymmetry, range of motion, and tissue texture changes. Osteopathic medicine students must have sufficient visual ability to use ophthalmologic instruments. It is necessary to have adequate visual capabilities for proper evaluation and treatment integration. Students must be able to observe the patient and the patient’s responses, including body language and features of the examination and treatment. Tactile Osteopathic medicine students must have sufficient tactile ability for physical assessment. They must be able to perform palpation and functions of physical examination and/or those related to therapeutic intervention. Osteopathic medicine students must be able to use tactile senses to diagnose directly by palpation and indirectly by sensations transmitted through instruments.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDE4MDg=