WVSOM Anatomy Lab Tour Program: An Osteopathic Medicine Pipeline With Student Teaching Opportunities

In spring 2013, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) reformatted its Anatomy Lab Tour Program to include interactive stations in the gross anatomy laboratory. The design of the outreach program introduces high school and allied health learners to osteopathic medicine while working through anatomy laboratory stations and how the tenets of osteopathic medicine relate to a person's overall health and wellness. Throughout the history of the program, first- and second-year osteopathic medical students at WVSOM have helped teach visiting learners in the laboratory experience. The new program design allows more time for one-on-one time between the student teachers and the learners. Exit surveys have reported that the current program design creates a synergistic learning environment in which both the learners and student teachers benefit through the encounter. The authors present this case study of the WVSOM Anatomy Lab Tour Program to establish a baseline for the collection of information gained through participant surveys to assess the impact of the program on learners and student teachers.