Why do physicians practice osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT)? A survey study

Few osteopathic physicians (Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine [DOs]) utilize osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in their clinical practice, although all DOs are trained to do so. The reasons why many do not utilize OMT are not entirely clear. Anecdotally, these authors have observed that if a physician utilizes OMT, it is because they witnessed the efficacy for themselves in real-life clinical diagnoses found on patients or volunteers. This study seeks to explore this phenomenon.

This study seeks to explore the relationship between witnessing the efficacy of OMT and the future use of OMT in clinical practice.

Surveys were sent to DOs who work with Des Moines University's College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) clinical students as well as osteopathic medical students enrolled at the Des Moines University's COM. Survey data were analyzed by separating physicians into cohorts based on their use of OMT and students into cohorts based on their interest in utilizing OMT in future practice.

DOs who practice OMT reported at least one, and often multiple, instances of witnessing the efficacy of OMT on real-life patients or volunteers while in their first 2 years of medical school. Those who do not utilize OMT reported few opportunities to witness the efficacy of OMT on a real-life patient. For physicians, 96.1 % of those who utilize OMT in their practice had the opportunity to see it work positively during the first 2 years of medical school, whereas only 7.4 % who do not utilize OMT had the opportunity. These findings are mirrored in the experience of current osteopathic medical students who are interested and uninterested in utilizing OMT in their future practice.

These findings emphasize the importance of exposing our medical students to some type of 'real-life' experience early in their careers; the data show that these experiences can be very beneficial in expanding the interest in utilizing osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) in future practice. COMs can consider the implementation of programs that provide this experience to students, including extracurricular activities dedicated to the use of OMT.