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Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
CLINICAL ROTATIONS POLICY MANUAL
Academic Year 2022-2023
Mission Statement
The Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) teaches osteopathic medical students
and offers training for the osteopathic medical community to provide compassionate, quality
patient-centered care. The College promotes the practice of osteopathic medicine by fostering a
culture of lifelong learning, supporting research and encouraging service.
CCOM Values
The achievement of education excellence through:
Leadership
Teamwork
Commitment
Integrity
Professionalism
Rev. September
2022
©2021, Midwestern University, all rights reserved
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OSTEOPATHIC OATH
I do hereby affirm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter. I will be mindful always of my
great responsibility to preserve the health and the life of my patients, to retain their confidence and
respect both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and
fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of
treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always
nature's laws and the body's inherent capacity for recovery.
I will be ever vigilant in aiding in the general welfare of the community, sustaining its laws and
institutions, not engaging in those practices which will in any way bring shame or discredit upon
myself or my profession. I will give no drugs for deadly purposes to any person, though it may be
asked of me.
I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and
never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices.
I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college I
will be loyal and strive always for its best interests and for the interests of the students who will
come after me. I will be ever alert to further the application of basic biologic truths to the healing
arts and to develop the principles of osteopathy which were first enunciated by Andrew Taylor
Still.
Developed in 1938 by a committee formed by the
Associated Colleges of Osteopathy headed by Frank E. MacCracken, DO.
In 1954, some amendments were adopted to create the current text.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contacts…………………………………………………..
4
Dress Code……………………………………………….
5
Professional Demeanor…………………………………..
6
Rotations………………………………………………….
6
Schedule Changes………………………………………...
8
Duty Hours……………..…………………………………
9
Vacation/Allowed Time Off….......................…………...
10
Attendance……………………………………………….
10
Absences…………………………………………………
10
Supervision of Medical Students…………………………
13
Rotation Grading………………………………………….
14
Academic Honesty………………………………………..
15
Student Evaluation Form…………………………………
15
Patient Encounter Logs…………………………………..
15
Student Evaluation of the Preceptor and Rotation………..
16
Reporting Clinical Rotation Issues……………………….
16
Clinical Education Canvas Courses………………………
16
Communication…………………………………………..
16
Health Insurance………………………………………….
16
Immunization Compliance….……………………………
16
Other Mandatory Testing…………….…………………..
18
Hospital Rules and Regulations………………………….
18
Incident Report for Exposure…………………………….
18
Student Services……………………………………….....
19
Career Resources…………………………………………
19
Medical Student Performance Evaluations (MSPE)……..
20
Residency Applications…………………………………..
20
Match Information……………………………………….
20
Letters of Recommendation……………………………...
20
Registrar’s Office………………………………………...
20
Promotions Committee…………………………………...
20
Code of Ethics…………………………………………....
21
Signature Page……………………………………………
27
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Department of Clinical Education
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Midwestern University
Science Hall Suite 339-A
555 31
st
Street
Downers Grove, Illinois 60515
Associate Dean of Clinical Education – William Moran, D.O. Department of
Clinical Education Support Manager – Lisa Szymanski, MOL
Title
Contact
Email
Phone
Fax
Data Coordinator
Ms. Michelle Sloan
630-515-6313
630-515-6314
Electives Coordinator: Last names A through L
Ms. Lisa Fogarty
lfogar@midwestern.edu
630-515-6048
630-515-6314
Electives Coordinator: Last names M through Z
Ms. Regina Gadotti
630-515-7481
630-515-6314
Emergency Medicine Coordinator
Ms. LaShawn Tucker
630-515-7486
630-515-6314
Family Medicine Coordinator
Ms. Helen Chong
630-515-7267
630-515-6314
Internal Medicine Coordinator
Ms. Kelly Zajac
kzajac@midwestern.edu
630-515-7438
630-515-6314
Obstetrics & Gynecology Coordinator
Ms. Alyssa Kalboth
630-515-7484
630-515-6314
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Coordinator
Mr. Greg Pytlak
gpytla@midwestern.edu
630-515-6039
630-515-6949
Pediatrics Coordinator
Ms. Tina Valderrama
cvalde@midwestern.edu
630-515-7488
630-515-6314
Psychiatry Coordinator
Ms. Barbara Jackson
630-515-7497
630-515-6314
Selective Coordinator
Ms. Kelly Zajac
kzajac@midwestern.edu
630-515-7438
630-515-6314
Surgery Coordinator
Ms. Vanessa Trinidad
630-515-7433
630-515-6314
Emergency Helpline for use after business hours and on holidays
630-515-7480
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I. DRESS CODE
A. Clinical Rotations
1. Clean, professional white lab coats that clearly identify that students are from
MWU/CCOM and distinguishes them from physicians and other health care
professionals must be worn by students when with a patient and/or on rotation,
unless other dress is specified by the department or service (i.e., scrubs in
surgery or obstetrics).
2. Students must dress in a professional manner and maintain a well-groomed
appearance.
a. Males are expected to wear a collared shirt and slacks.
b. Females are expected to wear either a professional dress, skirt that is knee
length or longer, or slacks with an appropriate professional top. Leggings
should not be worn unless covered to mid-thigh.
c. Hair is to be neat, clean, and properly maintained and must remain in a color
naturally appearing in humans.
d. Close-toed dress shoes with socks/nylons are required.
e. Fragrances, T-shirts, sweatshirts, sleeveless shirts, halter tops, backless tops,
midriff tops, jeans, fatigues, shorts, skirt shorter than knee length, short
dresses, open-toed shoes, sandals, sneakers, visible body piercings (other
than in ears), and visible tattoos are NOT ACCEPTABLE.
f. Jewelry should remain at a minimum and not interfere with patient care.
g. In general, fingernails should be neat, clean, trimmed, and follow individual
hospital policies.
h. The photo identification badges issued (MWU/CCOM and hospital), must be
worn so that they are visible to anyone approaching. Students are expected to
abide by the clinical sites’ policy regarding badges.
3. Scrubs should only be worn in appropriately designated areas of the medical
center, such as the OR, ER, ICU or labor and delivery unit. They should not be
worn on the general medical floor unless specified as appropriate by the
department/service and should not be worn in the cafeteria (except in an
emergency and only if a white coat covers the scrubs). Scrubs must never be
worn outside of the hospital or to another hospital, including Midwestern
University.
B. Lectures and/or Hospital meetings
If a student is in a facility participating in patient care, no matter how briefly, he or she
must comply with the rotation’s dress code listed above.
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Failure to observe these dress code policies may result in the student being asked to
leave the premises and could result in an unexcused absence. Habitual violators are
subject to disciplinary action. Individual sites may have dress code requirements that
are more stringent than those outlined above which students will be required to
follow. Please review the site’s dress code before beginning the rotation.
II. PROFESSIONAL DEMEANOR
Behavior in the clinical settings must be respectful and reserved. A breach in professional
behavior will result in referral to the Department Chair, or Dean’s Office delegate.
III. ROTATIONS
A. Core Rotations
The following are core rotations occurring within our affiliated sites:
a. Emergency Medicine
b. Family Medicine
c. Internal Medicine
d. Obstetrics and Gynecology
e. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
f. Pediatrics
g. Psychiatry
h. Surgery
All core rotations must be done at an approved core affiliated site. Please see the
respective rotation syllabus and/or Canvas course for additional details.
Requests to perform core rotations outside of MWU/CCOM core affiliate sites:
It is the educational policy of MWU/CCOM that all core rotations must
be completed at one of the core affiliate sites. Requests for an exception
from this requirement must be submitted in writing to the appropriate
MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator for the Clinical Department Chair’s
consideration a minimum of 90 days prior to the rotation starting date.
Permission will only be granted in exceptional circumstances
Students making multiple requests for out-of-system core rotations will
be referred to the MWU/CCOM Dean’s Office.
Please do not contact any core site directly to schedule or change a core
rotation. Always go through your MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator.
Students who contact a core site without prior department approval will not be
approved for credit by the Department of Clinical Education and the rotation will
be denied.
B. Elective Rotations
Students must complete at least 24 weeks of elective rotations during their OMS-
3 and OMS-4 years in order to meet graduation requirements.
Electives must be scheduled and approved through the Electives Coordinator and
the Department of Clinical Education. Due to the amount of time required to
process appropriate agreements, elective rotation requests should be
submitted a minimum of 90 days prior to the scheduled start of the rotation.
Final approval for elective rotations rests with the Associate Dean of Clinical
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Education. Please see the Electives rotation syllabus and/or Canvas course for
additional details.
Students may schedule up to 24 weeks of elective rotations in any of these five (5)
primary areas of practice:
General Internal Medicine
Family Medicine
Pediatrics
Obstetrics & Gynecology
General Surgery
Students are permitted to schedule a maximum of 16 weeks of electives in all
other specialties. For example: Orthopedic or Cardiology specialty rotations
may not exceed a total of 16 elective weeks in the OMS-3 and OMS-4 years.
This does not include core rotations.
Students will be approved for a maximum of 8 weeks of elective time in which
they are not directly engaged in patient care throughout their OMS-3 and OMS-
4 clinical rotations. Examples of this type of rotation include, but are not limited
to, research and asynchronous electives.
Students may not rotate with the same preceptor for more than a total of 4
weeks of elective rotation time.
Students may initiate only one site rotation request for each elective rotation.
Multiple requests for the same elective rotation will not be accepted by the
Elective Coordinators and may result in the student being assigned to a rotation.
Students who have not arranged an elective rotation at least 30 days prior to the
scheduled start of that rotation will be assigned to an elective rotation site or
may be required to take vacation.
Please do not contact any core site directly when scheduling an
elective rotation. Always go through the appropriate MWU/CCOM
Clinical Coordinator. Students who contact a core site without prior
department approval will not be approved for credit by the Department of
Clinical Education and the rotation will be denied.
D. Research Elective
In order to receive approval for a Research Elective, students must:
Successfully complete the approved online Research Module, available on
Canvas.
Prepare a 1-2pg NIH style protocol, i.e., significance, aims, protocol, etc.
Gain approval through your MWU/CCOM Elective Coordinator.
Have appropriate IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval.
Follow standard research protocol,
http://www.who.int/rpc/research_ethics/format_rp/en/ and not deviate from any
portion of what the appropriate IRB (Institutional Review Board) has approved.
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E. International Rotations
One four (4) week elective may be used for an international rotation for both
OMS-3 and OMS-4 years.
International rotation requests must be submitted at least 90 days before the
scheduled start date of the rotation.
Every international rotation request must be approved by the CCOM Dean and
MWU University President.
International rotation requests in countries with travel warning levels 3 or 4 will
not be approved. Information regarding travel warnings are located at
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/.
Travel insurance is strongly encouraged. A rotation that has previously been
approved may be denied at any point if conditions in that country change,
resulting in an elevated level of travel warning.
Students may not request an International Rotation during the block in which the
NRMP Residency Match falls.
F. Military Rotations
Military students have the opportunity to complete a portion of their clinical
rotations at military institutions. Only those military students with active duty
orders may complete a core rotation at a military site. Elective rotations may be
scheduled using the elective request process described above.
Requests for military rotations must be confirmed and submitted in writing, to the
appropriate MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator, a minimum of 90 days prior to the
start of the rotation.
IV. SCHEDULE CHANGES
A. Block Switch Requests:
Block switch requests are completed online using the appropriate form located
within the RMS system.
Requests must be initiated a minimum of 90 days before the scheduled start date
of the rotation.
Requests are reviewed and considered for approval on case by case basis and will
only be approved in exceptional circumstances. Documentation showing proof of
necessity is mandatory and should be submitted with all block switch requests.
Once all documentation is received, the request will be presented to the involved
departments for review.
Students contacting the department directly, without following the above process,
will be re-directed to the online form.
Please note that core site availability may impact the approval process as well as
site placement for any rotations that have been changed.
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B. Requests to Switch Sites:
Students who wish to change the site of their core rotation may do so
through a body-for-body switch with a classmate.
o Exchanged core rotations must be of the same specialty and
subtype: (Family medicine for family medicine; General internal
medicine for general internal medicine; Subspecialty medicine
for subspecialty medicine, etc.)
o Family medicine rotations are 8 weeks in length and cannot be
divided into 4-week groupings to swap part of the rotation
Rotation sites to be exchanged must occur within the same rotation
block/time frame.
Both students involved in the switch must independently submit an email to
the appropriate MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator, this email should
include:
o Your assigned rotation site and the dates of the rotation
o The name of the other student requesting this switch
o The site where they are assigned to rotate
Requests to switch rotation sites must be received a minimum of 90 days
prior to the scheduled first day of the rotation involved in the request
Switches are subject to approval by the rotation sites.
Switches are not official until both students receive email approval of the
switch from the rotation’s coordinator
In order to respect the privacy of our students, the clinical education
department or its coordinators, will not provide schedules or lists of
students at any given rotation sites
V. DUTY HOURS
Medicine is not a field that follows a 9-5 schedule. Patients require care 24 hours a
day and on weekends and holidays. The following considerations apply to
MWU/CCOM students while on clinical rotations.
Duty hours will vary depending on the specialty and the location
• Varying start and end times
• Students are likely to be scheduled to work clinically on weekends and
holidays.
▪ Students may be scheduled to work clinically in the days following the
COMAT exam.
VI. VACATION/ALLOWED TIME OFF
Winter break at Midwestern University/CCOM
o This occurs during late December and early January each year,
commencing at
the end of block 7. Duration of this break varies from 2-3
weeks, depending upon the university calendar.
Vacation
o During the 3
rd
or 4
th
years, students are allowed to take vacation in one (1),
two
(2) or four (4) week increments during elective blocks for a total of 8
weeks.
o Students may not schedule more than 4 weeks of vacation in a single quarter.
▪ First quarter includes blocks 1, 2, 3
▪ Second quarter includes blocks 4, 5, 6
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▪ Third quarter includes blocks 7, 8, 9
▪ Fourth quarter includes blocks 10, 11, 12
o Students are not scheduled to be on rotations during block 1 of their OMS-4
year to allow adequate time for board study. Vacation requests will not be
granted during first quarter for any OMS-4 students.
o Students are encouraged to use an elective block as a vacation during the
residency interview season (Late September through Late January) in order
to maximize their learning during clinical rotations and accommodate
travel to the highest number of residency interviews possible.
VII. ATTENDANCE
EXPECTATION OF 100% ATTENDANCE
o The requirements and schedule of each rotation dictate the amount of time
students spend on service. The site faculty, in conjunction with the
MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator, create a schedule to maximize student
learning opportunities. Some rotations require students to remain later into
the evening or overnight. Students required to stay overnight are provided
with a room in which to sleep.
o 100% attendance is expected during each rotation for all clinical hours,
core lectures, and all other required academic activities as defined by
the MWU/CCOM Clinical Education Department. Attendance
requirement at lectures may vary by department. Please refer to the
specific course syllabus for further information.
o Any unexcused absence will result in a 5 percentage point reduction in
the final rotation grade and may result in appearance before the
MWU/CCOM Promotions Committee.
VIII. ABSENCES
The MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator responsible for the specialty
department/elective must be notified of any requests for absence, late arrival or early
departure from any rotation activity. This applies to all Core, Selective, and Elective
rotations. Any absence not reported to the MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator
will be considered unexcused.
Unexcused Absences:
An MWU/CCOM administration will notify the student when they
become aware of an absence that was not previously requested or for
which they were not appropriately notified. The absence is
considered unexcused.
The student will have 48 hours to respond to the MWU/CCOM
Clinical Coordinator and should submit any evidence that supports
extenuating circumstance for the absence to be considered excused.
If the student does not submit such evidence, the absence will
remain unexcused.
The Department Chair will review evidence presented and will have
the final decision as to whether the absence will be considered
excused or
unexcused.
Any unexcused absence will result in a 5 percentage point
reduction in the final rotation grade.
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Requesting an Excused Absence
Absence from a rotation is highly discouraged, but if necessary
requests must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the start date of
the rotation. To obtain an excused absence for any reason, the
following procedures must be followed:
Submit an email to the appropriate MWU/CCOM Clinical
Coordinator and explain the reason for the request.
The MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator will submit the request for
time off to the appropriate Department Chair for consideration.
The MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator will inform the student
that either:
a) the request is granted with or without makeup
time; or b) the request is declined.
A maximum of three (3) days off will be approved during a 4-
week rotation. With the exception of residency interviews, in
which case a maximum of five (5) days, including travel time, will
be approved during a 4-week rotation. Some sites have exceptions
to the maximum number of interview days that can be taken, in
which case students will be expected to adhere to the site’s
guidelines.
Block 12 of the OMS-4 year is abbreviated to three (3) weeks to
accommodate graduation activities. As such, no more than two (2)
days of excused absences will be approved during this rotation. The
process for requesting an excused absence is described above. No
two (2) week rotations during the second half of Block 12 will be
approved.
Students are advised to NOT purchase airline tickets or book hotel
rooms prior to receiving approval from your MWU/CCOM Clinical
Coordinator.
Types of Excused Absences
A. Personal Requests:
Reasons for this type of request include weddings and other
major family/life events.
Requests of this nature will be considered for approval on a case by
case basis.
B. Conference/Events Requests:
Students may not attend more than two (2) medical
conferences/advocacy events in a single academic year. An exception
to this will be made for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Student
Government
Executive Council.
Students must be in good academic standing to receive approval to
attend.
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Students who are presenting research, or case presentations,
should provide documentation confirming this with their request
for absence.
Students representing a committee or serving in a leadership capacity
must provide evidence to support this when requesting approval.
Students who are requesting to attend a conference who are not
presenting or serving in an official capacity must provide evidence
that there is programming directed specifically at students and/or
residents (such as a brochure/website description of same) at the
conference.
If approved, a maximum of 3 days will be excused for
conference attendance. This includes travel time.
Upon return, all students will be expected to provide proof of
attendance to their MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator. Such proof
includes conference registration receipt, airline tickets, and hotel
bills.
C. COMLEX Exam Requests:
All requests for time off to take COMLEX examinations must be
submitted 30 days before the start of the rotation and
accompanied by
proof of the scheduled examination date and location.
Students will be granted one day off of a scheduled rotation for
COMLEX-USA Level 1, and COMLEX-USA Level 2 if they
must be scheduled during a rotation.
Students are encouraged not to schedule their exams during the
first week of any clinical rotation.
Students must pass COMLEX Level 1 and both portions of COMLEX Level 2,
CE and PE, in order to graduate. For additional information regarding
eligibility and procedures to take COMLEX, refer to the MWU catalog and the
NBOME website. https://www.nbome.org/assessments/comlex-usa/
D. Religious Holidays:
As with all other requested absences, request must be made a
minimum of 30 days in advance of your rotation and must follow
the process previously outlined for requesting time off.
Religious Absence Request Guidelines
Religious Absence Request Form
E. Residency Interview Requests:
It is recommended that students do not schedule interviews on the
first day of rotation as this interferes with orientation. Some sites
may not allow students to begin a rotation unless the student
participates in the site-specific orientation.
Requests should include a copy of the residency interview invitation
including the date the invitation was received. If an invitation is
received
30 days or more in advance of the start of the rotation, the request
must be submitted to the appropriate MWU/CCOM Clinical
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Coordinator 30 days prior to the start of the rotation. If an invitation
is received less than
30 days prior to the start of the rotation, an excused absence may
still be requested by following the process previously outlined for
requesting time off.
Students are allowed excused absence(s) for a maximum of five (5)
days, including travel time, per 4-week block for residency
interviews. These five (5) missed days must be requested in
advance. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence.
F. Absence Due to an Emergency, Illness, or Weather:
Students must submit notification of their absence to the appropriate
MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator, preceptor, and rotation
site coordinator as soon as they are able to communicate
with them.
If an emergency occurs outside of normal business hours (7:30am-
4pm M-F) or during a holiday, students should call the emergency
helpline at 630-515-7480 and someone will respond as soon as the
message is received within normal waking hours. The student should
also contact the appropriate MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator,
preceptor, and rotation site coordinator via email or voice message as
soon as possible.
Students may need to provide a “return to work” note. Required
documentation must be received by the MWU/CCOM Clinical
Coordinator within 72 hours of the request.
Illness that results in missing clinical duties for three (3) or more
consecutive days will require a “return to work” note.
G. Leave of Absence (LOA):
A Leave of Absence is typically required if a student is absent from
a 4- week rotation for greater than 5 consecutive days. Requests for
leave of absence should be made to the MWU/CCOM Dean’s
Office.
IX MEDICAL STUDENTS
A. Supervision of Medical Students
Supervision of medical students will be governed by the Illinois Medical
Practice
Act or the Medical Practice Act of the state in which the student is
rotating.
o IL MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT (225 ILCS 60/13) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-
13)
▪ Sec. 13. Medical students. Candidates for the degree of
doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of
osteopathic medicine enrolled in a medical or osteopathic
college, accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical
Education or the Commission on Osteopathic College
Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association or its
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successor, may practice under the direct, on-premises
supervision of a physician who is licensed to practice medicine
in all its branches in Illinois and who is a member of the faculty
of an accredited medical or osteopathic college. (Source: P.A.
98-1140, eff. 12-30-14.) www.ilga.gov
Any licensed physician, as defined above, who is designated as a teacher for
MWU/CCOM students is recognized to be a member of the teaching faculty.
B. Privileges Of Medical Students
The purpose of the Medical Student Privileges Guidelines is to define the
permitted activities of medical students participating in education rotations.
1. MS III & IV
a. May participate in care and management under the direct supervision of
the preceptor.
b. May document on the physician progress notes and only if strictly
following Medicare rules and regulations.
i. Medicare does not pay for any services furnished by a medical
student.
ii. The Teaching physician may only refer to the student’s
documentation of an evaluation and management service that is
related to the review of systems and/or past family and/or social
history only after personally performing the physical examination
and medical decision-making activities of the evaluation and
management service being billed.
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-
Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/2018Downloads/R4068CP.pdf
c. May enter data or change patient information in an electronic medical
record (EMR) only if strictly following Medicare rules and regulations.
i. Each person entering information into a medical record must do so
logged in under their own password.
ii. Direct supervision does not preclude the MS III & IV from the
gathering of clinical information.
iii. The preceptor is responsible for all required components of the
medical record.
d. May assist in surgery only if approved by the surgeon of record and
facility. The student must be able to document education on aseptic
technique prior to assisting in surgery.
May not dictate H&Ps, Op Reports or Discharge Summaries.
X. ROTATION GRADING
The following is general information regarding rotation grading. Students are
expected to review individual rotation syllabi for full details as to the grading
rubric for that rotation. All grades are final as recorded by the department
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and cannot be appealed or changed unless the student identifies a process
error.
Elective rotation grades are recorded as Pass/Fail and the student must
have completed and passed a minimum of 24 weeks of elective rotations to
graduate.
To pass an elective rotation, a student must achieve a passing score on
their performance evaluation and must complete any required
components as designated by the rotation site. Asynchronous elective
rotations do not require a performance evaluation.
Selective rotation grades are recorded as Pass/Fail and the student must
have completed and passed 4 weeks of selective rotation to graduate.
To pass a selective rotation, a student must successfully complete
all components as listed in the syllabus
Core rotations receive letter grades. Each Clinical Department has established
criteria for evaluating student performance and the criteria is described in the
syllabus for the rotation. There are some components that are consistent across
core rotations. These are described below:
a. END OF ROTATION EXAM: Comprehensive Osteopathic
Medical Achievement Test (COMAT)
i. The NBOME Subject (COMAT) exams are administered at the end
of OMS-3 core rotations; Family Medicine, Internal Medicine,
Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Surgery as well
as the OMS-4
Emergency Medicine and OMM Rotations.
a. The COMAT uses an electronic format and consists of 125
multiple choice questions with some images and/or charts.
The COMATs are administered in the Testing Center with 2
½ hours allotted for each exam.
b. Students will not be given time off from their clinical
rotations to study for the COMAT. Absence from the
rotation site the day prior to a COMAT will be considered an
unexcused absence and therefore subject to the unexcused
absence penalties described in Section VIII of this manual.
c. Students are expected to demonstrate appropriate respect
and professionalism to all exam proctors.
d. All students must adhere to all NBOME regulations regarding
test administration and exam content confidentiality.
ii. Students may be required to return to the rotation site or participate in
rotation activities after the COMAT.
iii. Students arriving late for a COMAT will not be granted additional
time to take the exam. Students who are ill on the day of a scheduled
COMAT must promptly notify the MWU/CCOM Clinical
Coordinator prior to the start of the exam. With supporting
documentation (i.e. a physician note documenting such illness) the
exam will be rescheduled.
iv. The NBOME web site; www.nbome.org/comat provides resources to
prepare for a COMAT; blueprints, content outlines, assessment
objectives and a practice exam for each subject.
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Please follow the algorithm below to understand the rescheduling a missed COMAT
Exam.
Grading Rubric for COMAT exam within the final rotation grade:
The method to calculate the COMAT score is:
(NBOME Score – 100)/10 = Converted Score, then
(Converted Score *7.5)+85 = Final Score
Passing on first attempt (final score of 70% or greater):
Exam Component = Earned exam score x 55% of overall grade
Failing on first attempt results in score of 0 for the exam until the
student reexamines by taking another COMAT in the same specialty.
This retest will be scheduled by the appropriate MWU/CCOM
Clinical Coordinator.
Passing on reexamination:
Students who achieve 70% or greater on reexamination will
receive a recorded exam grade of 70%
Failing on reexamination:
Results in course failure and a Promotion Committee referral
XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY
Matters related to academic honesty will follow Midwestern University guidelines as
they have been outlined in the MWU Student Handbook.
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XII. STUDENT EVALUATION FORM
The preceptor will complete an electronic and/or written evaluation of the student’s
performance following each core, and elective rotation. The evaluation should be
submitted through the Rotation Management System (RMS) or directly to the
appropriate MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator via fax, scan/email, or mail. All
evaluations should be received within 2 weeks from the last day of the rotation and
should be completed by an attending physician.
Physicians who are supervising students on rotation, may not submit an evaluation
of student’s performance if the physician has a 1—a family relationship to the
student or 2—has a current or a past patient-physician relationship with the student
involving the provision of health services. Students or physicians in this situation
must contact the rotation or elective clinical coordinator (as appropriate) or the
Clinical Education Support Manager to discuss alternative arrangements for student
evaluation.
The student evaluation form assesses the student’s ability to perform within the
established core competencies described by AACOM. A sample of the evaluation
form is available in Canvas under the Clinical Education course for your review.
https://midwestern.instructure.com/courses/845
XII. PATIENT ENCOUNTER LOGS AND ROTATION RELATED
ASSIGNMENTS
On all core rotations, students are expected to create
logs that document the patients that they are seeing either in-person or virtually
through a telemedicine appointment, indicating their diagnoses and any procedures
that the students are observing, assisting with, or performing. These logs may also be
used to indicate procedures that occur in a simulation setting. Logs are due on the
final day of a rotation. Completion of logs is worth 5% of the overall rotation
grade. Additionally, some departments have minimum case and/or procedure
requirements for their rotation. These are indicated in the syllabi for each course.
A screenshot of your Patient Logs must be uploaded to Canvas in order to get
full credit.
All rotation related assignments, including logs, should be uploaded to Canvas by
11:59 pm on the last day of rotation. Failure to submit/upload by deadline without
prior permission from the Department will result in grade of ZERO for each
assignment. No exceptions will be made.
(Evaluations are not included in this policy.)
XIII. STUDENT EVALUATION OF THE PRECEPTOR AND ROTATION
Students are required to complete online evaluations for each core clinical
rotation. This information is collected through RMS and will remain anonymous to
the site and preceptor. The information is used to assess teaching effectiveness and
educational quality. Using this data, MWU/CCOM can modify the rotation
experience for the enhancement of the students’ learning. Your final rotation grade
will not be released until the evaluation has been submitted.
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XIV. REPORTING CLINICAL ROTATION ISSUES
All questions regarding clinical rotations are to be directed to the appropriate
MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator. The clinical coordinator will direct each
concern to the appropriate pathway for resolution.
XV. CLINICAL EDUCATION CANVAS COURSES
The Department of Clinical Education maintains a Canvas course for rotation
information. In addition, all Clinical Departments maintain individual Canvas
courses, which are linked to the department pages/course. Both resources contain
specific rotation information. The Canvas courses are useful for current and future
rotations. Rotation sites, lecture schedules, contact people, rotation syllabi, and
required forms are posted. Both resources are maintained and updated regularly by
the department
XVI. COMMUNICATION
All MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinators will use the MWU email system and Canvas
to communicate with students regarding clinical rotations. It is required that students
check their MWU email, and if applicable, the appropriate clinical rotation Canvas
site regularly. Non MWU email addresses are often discarded by the campus SPAM
filter. MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinators are not responsible for emails that are not
read or not received because the student has forwarded their MWU email to a
secondary address.
XVII. HEALTH INSURANCE
MWU/CCOM requires all students be covered under a health insurance plan. Many
institutions require proof of insurance before students are allowed to do clinical
rotations. The MWU Centralized Office of Experiential Education monitors student
health insurance compliance. Students who elect to drop their health insurance will be
suspended from clinical rotations until they provide proof of reinstatement. Such
evidence must include a current member enrollment card and written verification
from the carrier. Medical insurance is available to students through MWU. For
information, contact Student Services at 630-515-7203.
XVIII. IMMUNIZATION COMPLIANCE
Students are required to maintain and update proof of current
immunizations before beginning and while participating in clinical
rotations. All documentation regarding immunizations must be uploaded to the
student’s portal and verified by the Student Services Compliance Specialist in
order to be considered compliant. Students who are not in compliance with
MWU/CCOM's immunization policies will not be allowed to start and/or
continue clinical rotations, which will result in an unexcused absence for
each day a student is not compliant.
Dates of immunization and proof of immunity via blood titer levels are necessary
for varicella, hepatitis, rubella, rubeola and mumps.
Students must also submit results of a hepatitis B surface antigen test
Proof of a tetanus vaccination (less than 10 years old)
Students must provide results of tuberculosis testing annually, either in the form
of a 2-step PPD Mantoux test or the QuantiFERON (QFN) Gold Standard test.
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A. If a student has had a positive PPD in the past, he/she will be required to
provide proof of a negative chest x-ray (CXR).
B. 2-step PPD's and the QuantiFERON (QFN) Gold Standard Test are
considered current for one year. Chest x-rays are current for two years.
Students should always keep a copy of any documentation for their personal file.
Please be aware that any charge pertaining to immunizations will be
the responsibility of the student unless otherwise stated.
It is the student’s responsibility to assure the record on the MWU student portal is
current.
Rotation sites that require additional immunizations beyond MWU/CCOM
requirements must be complied with and documented as complete prior to the
start of any rotation.
All documentation MUST be submitted electronically by uploading documents as
PDF files via the student portal as follows:
1. Log in to the Midwestern University Student Portal
2. Click on the heading for Student Services
3. Under the General Information tab select Forms & Information
4. Select Documentation Upload
a. This will take you to the place where you upload your
documentation. b. The instructions for uploading your documents
are located on this
page. Information for the category will appear when hovering a
cursor
over the category.
b. Create a separate PDF file for each immunization requirement
i. Flu Shot
ii. Student Health Status Form
iii. TB Testing
iv. Tdap/Tetanus
v. Titers
vi. Vaccines
The Student Services Compliance Specialist will then enter the immunization
documentation into the tracking system. Allow at least one (1) week from the
date of upload before contacting the Student Services Compliance Specialist. If
there is an issue with any of the documentation the student will receive an email
explanation. Once all requirements are complete, a confirmation email is sent.
Monitor your immunization compliance by doing the following:
1. Log in to the Midwestern University Student Portal
2. Click on the heading for Student Services
3. Under the General Information tab select Immunizations
Review the Notes section on the bottom of the page as this will be where the
Student Services Compliance Specialist will indicate any outstanding
requirements. Due dates for boosters, titers and the expiration date for TB Testing
are all listed here. All uploaded immunization documents will be noted as an
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attachment under the Document Type section. The attachments can be opened
and printed by the student when documentation is needed. There is no need to
contact the Student Services Compliance Specialist to get copies of
documentation as it will all be available on the immunization page.
XIX. OTHER MANDATORY TESTING
Many rotations now require drug screening tests. MWU/CCOM provides drug
screening on an as-needed basis for approved rotations.
MWU/CCOM completes fingerprinting and background checks upon matriculation
and at the beginning of both the OMS-3 and OMS-4 year.
All students will be fitted with an N-95 respirator mask. Students will be instructed
on proper usage of the mask at the time of the fit-testing procedure. Students may
need to be refitted if they have significant shifts in weight, other circumstance that
alter their facial shape after the initial testing has been performed, or if the clinical
rotation site requests and updated fitting. Failure to comply will result in an
unexcused absence for each day a student in not compliant.
BLS and ACLS testing will be conducted by the MWU Simulation Center for all
students at the beginning of the OMS-3 and OMS-4 academic years. Students will be
required to successfully pass each class as they have been outlined by the American
Heart Association. Failure to maintain up-to-date CPR certifications will prohibit
students from being allowed to participate in their clinical rotations, which will
result in an unexcused absence for each day a student is not compliant.
XX. HOSPITAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
Each hospital/health care system has unique rules and regulations. Medical students
should familiarize themselves with and adhere to these protocols during clinical
rotations.
Students must respect and follow all policies regarding the use of hospital facilities,
dress codes, housing and any other hospital resources. All hospital equipment
including identification badges, pagers, keys and library materials must be returned
before leaving a clinical rotation. Students are financially responsible for any damage
to or loss of hospital property.
XXI. INCIDENT REPORTS FOR EXPOSURE TO PATIENT BODY FLUIDS
Procedure for Exposure Incident
Students exposed to a patient’s blood or potentially infectious body fluid via
needlestick
or splash to mucous membrane should proceed as follows:
A. Go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department
B. Seek treatment and follow-up in accordance with appropriate medical
standards.
C. Notify the preceptor of the occurrence.
D. Fill out injury and treatment forms following the protocol of the rotational
facility or physician's office where they are assigned.
E. Students who incur expenses related to treatment of an accidental needlestick
or exposure should seek reimbursement first through their health insurance
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company. Any unpaid expenses thereafter should be referred to Kathryn
Frausto, Risk Manager, at 630-515-6229 or [email protected].
Within 5 days, students must forward a copy of the injury and treatment forms to
their preceptor and the Midwestern University Risk Management Department.
When making an injury report for an exposure incident, the student and/or
preceptor must give the name of the source individual and medical record number
if known or available. If an exposure occurs, the following information should be
recorded in the student's confidential medical record:
a. Date and time of exposure
b. Job duty being performed by student
c. Whether protective equipment (gowns, gloves, masks, protective eyewear) or
engineering controls were used (i.e., recapping device or a needle disposal
device or mechanical pipette)
d. Details of exposure, including amount and type of fluid or material, and
severity (e.g., depth of percutaneous exposure and whether fluid was injected;
extent and duration of skin or mucous membrane contract)
e. Description of source material, including HIV, HBV, HCV status if known. In
the event the source individual is a dialysis patient, a current HBsAg report
should be provided.
Student Consent
The consent of the student must be given, according to the directives of the rotation
hospital/clinic and/or physician's office, before his/her blood is drawn and
before serologic testing can be performed.
Source Individual
The source individual is defined as any individual whose blood or other potentially
infectious materials may be a source of exposure to the health care worker. Illinois
and Arizona state statutes indicate “when a health care provider or employee of a
health care facility is involved in an accidental direct skin or mucous membrane
contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an individual which is of a nature that may
transmit HIV, written informed consent of the source individual (patient) to perform
an HIV test is not required.” The source individual should be identified by the
student. Situations when it is not feasible to identify the source individual include
incidents of needle sticks or cuts from sharp or unknown sources, e.g., unmarked
needle or blood sample. The source individual should be tested for hepatitis B,
hepatitis C, and HIV in accordance with the directives of the rotation hospital/clinic
or physician's office where exposure occurred.
XXII. STUDENT SERVICES
All services available to students in the first and second years are also made available
in the third and fourth years. Please refer to the Student Handbook for detailed
information on the services provided. Student Services can be reached at (630) 515-
6470.
XXIII. CAREER RESOURCES
The Dean’s Office, MWU/CCOM faculty members and the Division of Postdoctoral
Education are the most valuable resources for information on career direction
and knowledge of postdoctoral programs. To receive additional career
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counseling, please contact an MWU/CCOM Clinical Coordinator for further
assistance in scheduling a meeting.
XXIV. MEDICAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS (MSPE)
Medical Student Performance Evaluations (MSPE) is a letter from the Dean’s office
that will include a summary of both academic performance and professional
attributes. These are derived from student evaluations during medical school,
including classroom, clinical and other relevant settings. The MSPE is not a letter of
recommendation, but a letter of evaluation and is prepared early in the student’s 4th
year. This letter of evaluation becomes part of the ERAS application and is not
available for review by the student.
XXV. RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS
Students interested in learning more about postdoctoral opportunities should go to
FREIDA: the Online Fellowship and Residency Database (https://www.ama-
assn.org/life-career/search-ama-residency-fellowship-database). Students are
strongly encouraged to become proactive in their career planning activities.
For information related to Ophthalmology, students should visit:
https://sfmatch.org/Default.aspx.
For information related to Urology, students should visit:
https://www.auanet.org/education/auauniversity/for-residents/urology-
residency-and- fellowship-programs.
For information related to residency programs participating in the National Resident
Matching Program (NRMP), students should visit:
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/applying-residencies-eras/.
ERAS application link
https://stu dents-residents.aamc.org/applying-residencies-eras/applying-residencies-eras
XXVI. NATIONAL RESIDENT MATCH INFORMATION
Match information can be found online (http://www.nrmp.org/). For further
assistance, please contact the MWU/CCOM Dean’s Office.
XXVII. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (LoR)
The Dean’s Office cannot upload LoRs for students on behalf of letter writers.
Therefore, all letter writers must upload their LoRs to ERAS. If your
preceptor has any questions or needs assistance while uploading the letter, please
contact Ms. Helen Chong at 630-515-7122.
XXVIII. REGISTRAR'S OFFICE
The Registrar's office must be notified of all address and phone number
changes as soon as they occur. All name changes should be submitted
through the MWU intranet.
All transcript release requests should also be submitted through the MWU
intranet. Telephone requests cannot be honored. Please allow at least one week for
processing each request.
XXIX. PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE
A. The committee meets monthly to review the academic and professional
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progress of MWU/CCOM students. Students with COMLEX failures, rotation
failures, and/or academic deficiencies may be required to meet with the
committee. Students who have not met the professional standards set forth in
the Osteopathic Oath may also be required to meet with the committee. Details
regarding Promotions Committee procedures, decisions, and appeals can be
found in the MWU/CCOM student catalog.
B. The Promotions Committee also recommends students who have
successfully completed all graduation requirements to the Faculty
Senate to be approved for graduation.
XXX. CODE OF ETHICS
MWU/CCOM has adopted the AOA Code of Ethics.
American Osteopathic Association Copyright 2003-2008
The American Osteopathic Association has formulated this Code to guide its member
physicians in their professional lives. The standards presented are designed to address the
osteopathic and allopathic physician’s ethical and professional responsibilities to patients,
to society, to the AOA, to others involved in health care and to self.
Further, the AOA has adopted the position that physicians should play a major
role in the development and instruction of medical ethics.
Section 1. The physician shall keep in confidence whatever she/he may learn about a
patient in the discharge of professional duties. Information shall be divulged by the
physician when required by law or when authorized by the patient.
Section 2. The physician shall give a candid account of the patient’s condition to the
patient or to
those responsible for the patient’s care.
Section 3. A physician-patient relationship must be founded on mutual trust,
cooperation, and respect. The patient, therefore, must have complete freedom to choose
her/his physician. The physician must have complete freedom to choose patients whom
she/he will serve. However, the physician should not refuse to accept patients for reasons
of discrimination, including, but not limited to, the patient’s race, creed, color, sex,
national origin, sexual orientation, gender
identity, or disability. In emergencies, a physician should make her/his services available.
Section 4. A physician is never justified in abandoning a patient. The physician shall
give due notice to a patient or to those responsible for the patient’s care when she/he
withdraws from the case so that another physician may be engaged.
Section 5. A physician should make a reasonable effort to partner with patients to
promote their health and shall practice in accordance with the body of systematized and
scientific knowledge related to the healing arts. A physician shall maintain competence
in such systematized and scientific knowledge through study and clinical applications.
Section 6. The osteopathic medical profession has an obligation to society to maintain its
high standards and, therefore, to continuously regulate itself. A substantial part of such
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regulation is due to the efforts and influence of the recognized local, state and national
associations representing the osteopathic medical profession. A physician should
maintain membership in and actively support such associations and abide by their rules
and regulations.
Section 7. Under the law a physician may advertise, but no physician shall advertise or
solicit patients directly or indirectly through the use of matters or activities which are
false or misleading.
Section 8. A physician shall not hold forth or indicate possession of any degree
recognized as the basis for licensure to practice the healing arts unless she/he is actually
licensed on the basis of that degree in the state or other jurisdiction in which she/he
practices. A physician shall designate her/his osteopathic or allopathic credentials in all
professional uses of her/his name. Indications of specialty practice, membership in
professional societies, and related matters shall be governed by rules promulgated by the
American Osteopathic Association.
Section 9. A physician should not hesitate to seek consultation whenever she/he
believes it is in the best interest of the patient.
Section 10. In any dispute between or among physicians involving ethical or
organizational matters, the matter in controversy should first be referred to the
appropriate arbitrating bodies of the profession.
Section 11. In any dispute between or among physicians regarding the diagnosis and
treatment of a patient, the attending physician has the responsibility for final decisions,
consistent with any applicable hospital rules or regulations.
Section 12. Any fee charged by a physician shall compensate the physician for services
actually rendered. There shall be no division of professional fees for referrals of
patients.
Section 13. A physician shall respect the law. When necessary a physician shall attempt
to help to formulate the law by all proper means in order to improve patient care and
public health.
Section 14. In addition to adhering to the foregoing ethical standards, a physician shall
recognize a responsibility to participate in community activities and services.
Section 15. It is considered sexual misconduct for a physician to have sexual contact
with any patient with whom a physician-patient relationship currently exists.
Section 16. Sexual harassment by a physician is considered unethical. Sexual
harassment is defined as physical or verbal intimation of a sexual nature involving a
colleague or subordinate in the workplace or academic setting, when such conduct
creates an unreasonable, intimidating, hostile or offensive workplace or academic
setting.
Section 17. From time to time, industry may provide some AOA members with gifts as
an inducement to use their products or services. Members who use these products and
services as a result of these gifts, rather than simply for the betterment of their patients
and the improvement of the care rendered in their practices, shall be considered to have
acted in an unethical manner.
Section 18. A physician shall not intentionally misrepresent himself/herself or his/her
research work in any way.
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Section 19. When participating in research, a physician shall follow the current laws,
regulations and standards of the United States or, if the research is conducted outside the
United States, the laws, regulations and standards applicable to research in the nation
where the research is conducted. This standard shall apply for physician involvement in
research at any level and degree of responsibility, including, but not limited to, research,
design, funding, participation either as examining and/or treating provider, supervision
of other staff in their research, analysis of data and publication of results in any form for
any purpose.
AOA Interprets Sections of the Code of Ethics
Interpretation of Section 3
This section notes that a physician-patient relationship must be founded on mutual trust,
cooperation and respect—a patient must have complete freedom to choose his or her
physician, and a physician must have complete freedom to choose patients whom he or
she will serve.
Section 3 does not address a patient’s discriminating against a physician based on the
physician’s race, creed, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or
disability; and a patient may express a desire to not be treated by a particular physician or
by a physician with certain characteristics.
Therefore, the AOA interprets section 3 of its code of ethics to permit but not require
an osteopathic physician to treat a patient when the physician reasonably believes the
patient is experiencing a life- or limb-threatening event, even though the patient may
have previously expressed a desire to not be treated by a physician based on the
physician’s race, creed, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity
or disability. (July 2014) Interpretation of Section 7
This section is designed to discourage practices, which would lead to false, misleading or
deceptive information being promulgated.
Section 7 does not prohibit advertising, so long as advertising is designed as making
proper factual information available to the public. People seeking health care are
entitled to know the names of osteopathic physicians, the types of practices in which
they engage, their office hours, place of their offices, and other pertinent factual
information. On the other hand, the public should be protected from subjective
advertising material designed to solicit patients, which is essentially misleading. Such
material would include attempts to obtain patients by influence or persuasion,
employing statements that are self-laudatory and deceptive; the result of which is likely
to lead a patient to a misinformed choice and unjustified expectations. (July 1985)
Guide to Section 8
This guide applies to AOA members’ professional (as opposed to organizational)
stationery, office signs, telephone directories, and to other listings referred to by the
general public. (July 2016)
Part I – Indications of Specialty Practice
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Osteopathic physicians who are certified by the AOA or who devote themselves
exclusively to a specialty may designate such specialty in one of the following ways:
Practice Limited to Internal Medicine (or other practice area)
Internal Medicine
The listing of terms in each of the two categories is illustrative and should act as a
guideline.
Part II – Membership in Professional Organizations
The public has little or no knowledge of what membership in various professional
organizations entails. Accordingly, use of the names or initials of such organizations
tends to indicate unusual professional competence, which is usually not justified.
Professional stationery should contain no indication whatever of membership in
professional organizations or of any present or past office held in any professional
organization.
Designation of membership in various professional organizations is permissible on
organizational stationery (AOA, divisional and district society, practice organizations,
etc.) provided the organizational stationery is not used in practice correspondence.
The above guidelines apply with respect to written signatures of physicians. For example,
a physician should not use FACOI or other appropriate fellowship designation in signing
a letter or other communications that will go to a patient. The physician may use such
designation in correspondence with other physicians or third parties.
Part III – Osteopathic Identification
The following, in order of preference, are considered proper on practice stationery
and office signs:
John Doe, DO
John Doe, Osteopathic Physician & Surgeon
John Doe, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
The following are not considered proper on practice stationery or office signs:
Dr. John Doe (this is considered improper even if the doctor signs his name
John Doe, DO). The osteopathic identification should be printed.
Dr. John Doe, Specialist in Osteopathic Medicine. The term specialist should be
avoided in this circumstance.
Part IV – Degrees (other than DO)
It is strongly recommended that only the degree DO appear on professional stationery.
However, the following additional guides are offered: No undergraduate degree (BA,
BS, etc.) should be used.
Graduate degrees (MA, MS, PhD, etc.) should not be used unless the degree recognizes
work in a scientific field directly related to the healing arts. Therefore, advanced degrees
in scientific fields such as public health, physiology, anatomy, and chemistry may be
used but their use is not recommended.
Honorary degrees relating to scientific achievement in the healing arts or other
achievements within the osteopathic profession (such as administrative excellence or
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educational achievement) may be used if the honorary nature of the degree is indicated
by use after the degree of the abbreviation “Hon.”
Law degrees may be used if the physician carries on medical-legal activities.
Part V – Telephone Directory Listings
1. It is desirable for divisional societies to have an established program to
implement these guidelines and, where necessary, to meet with representatives of
the telephone companies in furtherance of that objective.
2. In classified directories, it is recommended that DOs be listed under the heading
“Physicians and Surgeons-(DO)” and that there be a cross-reference to that
heading from the heading “Physicians and Surgeons-Osteopathic.” This letter
heading is also acceptable as the main listing if it has long been the heading
customarily used in the community.
3. In telephone directory listings of doctors, it is recommended that the doctor’s
name befollowed by the abbreviation DO.
4. The abbreviation “Dr” is not recommended because it is misleading. “Dr” can
refer to dentists, doctors of medicine, etc. “Phys” is also misleading because it can
refer to MDs.
5. In telephone directories, no indication of certification or membership in any
osteopathic professional organization should appear by initials or abbreviations,
because such would generally be confusing.
6. In classified telephone directories it is not improper to indicate “Practice limited
to” or simply to name the field of specialty.
Interpretation of Section 17
Section 17 relates to the interaction of physicians with pharmaceutical companies.
1. Physicians’ responsibility is to provide appropriate care to patients. This
includes determining the best pharmaceuticals to treat their condition.
This requires that
physicians educate themselves as to the available alternatives and their
appropriateness so they can determine the most appropriate treatment for an
individual patient. Appropriate sources of information may include journal
articles, continuing medical education programs, and interactions with
pharmaceutical representatives.
2. It is ethical for osteopathic physicians to meet with pharmaceutical companies
and their representatives for the purpose of product education, such as, side
effects, clinical effectiveness and ongoing pharmaceutical research.
3. Pharmaceutical companies may offer gifts to physicians from time to time.
These gifts should be appropriate to patient care or the practice of medicine.
Gifts unrelated to patient care are generally inappropriate. The use of a product
or service based solely on the receipt of a gift shall be deemed unethical.
4. When a physician provides services to a pharmaceutical company, it is
appropriate to receive compensation. However, it is important that compensation
be in proportion to the services rendered. Compensation should not have the
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appearance of a relationship to the physician’s use of the employer’s products in
patient care.
Position Papers/Ethical Content
Position papers adopted by the AOA House of Delegates define official AOA policy.
Many of
the position papers further clarify issues with ethical content. Specific areas and papers
related to them are:
A. Responsibilities to the patient:
Confidentiality of patient records
Counseling female patients on reproductive issues
Death: Right to die
Physician treating minors without parental consent
Patient
confidentiality
Patient’s bill of
rights Patient-
physician relations
B. Responsibilities to society:
Abused persons
Ethical and sociological consideration for medical care
Health care institutional responsibilities
Impaired physician, assistance
Medicare and Medicaid Abuse
Medicare and Medicaid - ethical physician arrangements
Substance abuse
C. Responsibilities to the AOA:
Active institutional membership - AOHA
Dual degrees
Industry gifts to physicians
Professional association by D.O.s
D. Responsibilities to others involved in health care:
Acupuncture
Osteopathic medicine in foreign countries
E. Responsibilities to self:
Medicare - physician coverage
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) programs
Physician administered OMT
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Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
CLINICAL ROTATIONS POLICY MANUAL
Academic Year 2022-2023
SIGNATURE PAGE
I, , a student enrolled at MWU/CCOM,
acknowledge receipt of the 2022-2023 Revised Clinical Rotations Policy Manual. I understand
that I am responsible for reading this material and agree to comply with all policies and
procedures as written. In addition, I acknowledge and understand that I am representing
MWU/CCOM while participating in all clinical and non-clinical rotations and will conduct
myself in a professional manner at all times.
Student Signature:
Date:
Date of Clinical Rotations Policy Manual: May 2022
Revised September 2022
