Residents in the community will have the opportunity to relieve some of their ailments through the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (WVSOM) annual OMM Clinic. The Student Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Clinic, held annually since 1995, is a service where residents can receive musculoskeletal treatment techniques while second-year students hone their skills in osteopathic medicine. The clinic is an educational atmosphere where students incorporate hands-on techniques that they have learned in Osteopathic Principles and Practice classes and labs in medical school. The clinic is open every Wednesday afternoon beginning Jan. 14 and ending Mar. 18. “The Student OMM Clinic is a great opportunity for the students to learn, and for the people in the community to undergo osteopathic evaluation and treatment without cost,” said Deborah Schmidt, D.O., the clinic’s faculty coordinator. “We’ve had many people come in on referrals from their physicians with musculoskeletal complaints that they’ve had for many years and those complaints have been successfully treated in the student clinic.” The clinic will be separated into two, five-week block sessions to allow for more patients to be seen throughout the 10-week course. During clinic time, students are under the supervision of local osteopathic physicians. Schmidt said the student clinic exposure is unique and helps prepare second-year students who are about to begin rotations in hospitals and clinics for their third year. “When the students go on their third-year rotations they have proven to be excellent at patient communication and information collecting, as well as osteopathic treatment. Our students really stand out in their third- and fourth-years because of it,” she said. There is still time for community members interested in participating to schedule an appointment. A written referral from a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner is needed. A variety of ages and health conditions are ideal, though patients cannot participate in the clinic who have active workers’ compensation claims or litigation cases. To schedule a free appointment, call 304-793-6823.
