Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

In UNE’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, you’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and relationships required to lead an impactful career in medicine. Through a nationally recognized curriculum, as well as real-world clinical experience in New England’s cities, towns, and rural areas, your hands-on training will lead you to succeed in Maine and beyond.

Earn Your D.O. at Maine’s Only Medical School

For more than 40 years, the ϲ College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) has created compassionate, community-minded physicians. As a student in our Osteopathic Medicine degree, you focus on whole-body health and learn to thrive in team environments to create the best possible patient outcomes.

UNE COM is Maine’s number one provider of physicians. Nationally recognized for leadership in primary care, rural medicine, osteopathic medicine, and geriatric healthcare, we are ranked among the country’s top medical schools.

A U N E osteopathic medicine student examine a patient

98.2%

Percentage of UNE COM D.O. ’23 students that matched with their first choice residency program

National averages: 93.7% for allopathic medical schools; 91.6% for osteopathic medical schools.

Why UNE for your D.O.

Graduates of the UNE Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine are prepared for successful health careers, we rank in the top 10 for average score on the COMLEX-USA exam.

A UNE COM education happens within a supportive culture, in state-of-the-art facilities on beautiful Maine campuses. You experience an innovative curriculum at our high-fidelity simulation lab and learning laboratories for clinical skills, anatomy, and osteopathic manipulative medicine. Courses incorporate interprofessional education and are led by expert faculty who use small-group, team-based, and peer teaching.

UNECOM is the #1 provider of physicians for the state of Maine.

UNE is the #1 provider of physicians for the state of Maine

60% of UNECOM graduates practice in primary care disciplines.

Most Graduates Practicing in Primary care

60% of our graduates practice in primary care disciplines

U.S. News and World Report 2024
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We rank in the top five for average score on the COMLEX-USA Levels 1 and 2

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Most Diverse Medical Schools

U.S. News and World Report 2024

What will you study? Osteopathic Medicine Curriculum Overview

ϲ Osteopathic Medicine and the Profession

Osteopathic Medicine is a distinctly American branch of medicine that pioneered the concepts of wellness and the whole-person approach to health when it was developed in the late 1800s. Doctors of osteopathic (D.O.s) bring a philosophy that considers the mind-body-spirit connection to the evidence-based care of patients. Through the lens of wellness, D.O.s help patients with a full range of medical treatment options, including surgery, pharmaceuticals, and manual medicine. As a physician or surgeon practicing osteopathic medicine, you bring a unique patient-centered approach to the full spectrum of health care.

Becoming a D.O. requires four years of medical school after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. The first two years, pre-clerkship years, focus on building a foundation of biomedical and medical knowledge and skills. During the second two years, clerkship years, you apply and expand your knowledge and skills in clinical settings. The course of studies leading to the D.O. degree must be completed within 6 years of matriculation (or within 150% of the standard time to obtain the degree).

Learn more about osteopathic medicine

Pre-Clerkship and Clerkship

The pre-clerkship curriculum occurs on campus where the fundamental knowledge of anatomy, manual medicine, clinical skills, and medical sciences are taught primarily in small group, team-based, and simulation settings. 

Clerkship training takes place at one of our clinical campuses throughout the Northeast. You spend time on various specialty services at clinics and hospitals, gaining firsthand experience providing medical care in different settings. During your fourth-year, you participate in the Match or one of the other post-graduate training assignment programs, which — depending on your specialty — take an additional three to seven years to complete.

Curriculum

Program Required CoursesCredits
DOM 503 – Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IA14
DOM 507 – Osteopathic Clinical Skills IA14
DOM 510 – Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IB14
DOM 511 – Osteopathic Clinical Skills IB14
DOM 612 – Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IIA16
DOM 616 – Osteopathic Clinical Skills IIA12
DOM 618 – Osteopathic Medical Knowledge IIB16
DOM 622 – Osteopathic Clinical Skills IIB12
Total Credits112
Program Required Clinical Clerkship RotationsWeeksCredits
FAMD 701 – Family Medicine ClerkshipVariableVariable
IMED 701 – Internal Medicine ClerkshipVariableVariable
OBGY 701 – Obstetrics/Gynecology ClerkshipVariableVariable
PEDS 701 – Pediatrics ClerkshipVariableVariable
PSCH 701 – Psychiatry ClerkshipVariableVariable
SURG 701 – Surgery ClerkshipVariableVariable
Total Weeks and Credits4242
Program Required Selective Clinical RotationsWeeksCredits
Selective Emergency Medicine Clinicals44
Selective Internal Medicine Clinicals44
Selective Osteopathic Medicine Clinicals44
Selective Surgery Clinicals44
Approved Elective Rotations (see below)*2424
Total Weeks and Credits4040
Minimum Total Required Credits194

*All Elective Rotations have a formal approval process.

Elective Rotations**

Elective Rotation DisciplinesWeeksCredits
Anesthesia2+2+
Community Health2+2+
Dermatology2+2+
Emergency Medicine2+2+
Internal Medicine2+2+
Military Medicine2+2+
Neuro TA2+2+
Neurology2+2+
Ob/Gyn2+2+
OMM2+2+
Pathology2+2+
Pediatrics2+2+
Psychiatry2+2+
Radiology2+2+
Research2+2+
Surgery2+2+

**These are the common elective rotations taken. This is not a comprehensive list.

Courses

UNE’s integrated interdisciplinary curriculum is delivered over the first two (2) years through concurrent semester-long longitudinal courses titled Osteopathic Medical Knowledge (OMK) and Osteopathic Clinical Skills (OCS). The courses run in parallel within common clinical frameworks with frequent integration between the courses.

The student is required to complete eighty-two (82) weeks of clinical training in years three (3) and four (4) (typically forty-two (42) to forty-eight (48) weeks are done in the third year). UNE COM defines three (3) categories of clinical requirements:

Core — Forty-Two (42) Weeks

Required Discipline — The student is assigned by the UNE COM Department of Clinical Education; Core rotations are typically referred to as “clerkships.” The clerkship year schedule requires a rotation in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, OB-GYN, Psychiatry, and Surgery, and two (2) rotations in Internal Medicine.

Family Medicine

Core Family Medicine is a hospital and/or ambulatory experience that enhances the student’s understanding of patient and family dynamics in illness and health, the physician/patient relationship, and the careful and economical use of medical therapeutics, technological and laboratory investigation, and hospitalization. Special attention is given to the patient interview, directed physical examination, and patient education.

Internal Medicine

Core Internal Medicine is two (2) core rotations (general or mix of general plus subspecialty) and may complete one (1) or more additional rotations in Internal Medicine subspecialties, typically in a hospital setting. Applying principles learned in the preclinical years, and working within a multidisciplinary team, the student learns to formulate a differential diagnosis based on the history and physical, prioritize a problem list, identify appropriate diagnostic tests, develop a treatment plan, and present patients to supervising physicians and in team meetings. Further developing and refining the ability to communicate effectively with patients and members of the treatment team is of critical importance.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Core Obstetrics and Gynecology is intended to provide practical clinical exposure in the diagnosis and management of the female patient with normal and pathologic obstetric and gynecologic processes. Gynecologic procedures, surgery, labor and delivery, fetal evaluation and monitoring, pre-operative evaluations, and post-operative care are emphasized.

Pediatrics

Core Pediatrics places an emphasis on primary care of the newborn to the adolescent. In hospital and/or ambulatory settings, the student gains a greater understanding of the continuum of child development, including physical, social, and emotional aspects, as well as the role of family dynamics. The student develops communication skills with both the pediatric patient and the family and, as appropriate, refines their skill at educating the child, parents, and other caregivers in health promotion.

Psychiatry

Core Psychiatry encourages the student to recognize, screen for, and assess key symptoms of common mental illnesses, using the mental status examination as the basis for differential diagnosis and therapy. Additional content areas include cognitive, psychomotor, and affective development, risk assessment, substance abuse issues, and the impact of mental illness on patients and families.

Surgery

Core General Surgery and one (1) selective in General Surgery or a surgical subspecialty must be completed by each student. This clerkship is an introduction to the principles and practice of surgery. The student will experience the totality of care from the patient’s pre-surgical visit through the surgical encounter and post-operative recovery.

Emergency Medicine

Emergency Medicine selective represents where knowledge and skills gained by the student in Core rotations come together in the fast-paced emergency department. In conjunction with emergency department personnel, the student will evaluate and treat patients of all ages who are experiencing medical, surgical, or psychiatric emergencies.

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine focuses on osteopathic philosophy and principles, which are intrinsic to the entire curriculum and are incorporated throughout the clinical portion of the student’s education. In the fourth year, the student completes a total of four (4) weeks of osteopathic manipulative medicine to gain in-depth experience by working with a practitioner who is well versed in these principles and utilizes them in the clinical care environment.

Selective — Sixteen (16) Weeks

Required Discipline — Site selected by the student, subject to approval by the Department of Clinical Education. There are four (4) weeks each of Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.

Elective

Discipline and site selected by the student, subject to approval by the department.

Elective Rotation Requirements

Sufficient quantity to meet graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirements

The Board of Trustees of the ϲ confers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree upon those students who have satisfactorily completed the requirements for graduation and who have been recommended for graduation by the faculty of the College.

Every candidate for the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine must:

  • Be of good moral character and meet the UNE COM standards for professional behavior and conduct as described under academic and technical standards.
  • Have met and completed the academic requirements of the College, including passage of COMLEX-USA Level 1 and 2CE, within six (6) academic years (or within 150% of the standard time) for the awarding of the degree and have been enrolled at this college for at least the last two (2) years. Successful completion of or its equivalent is under discussion by the COCA and consideration of this graduation requirement will be adjusted based on their decision. Each student must pass the third-year clinical assessment examination provided by UNE COM.
  • Be free of indebtedness to this College, the University, and their affiliates.
  • Have demonstrated the ethical, personal, and professional qualities deemed necessary for the successful and continuing study and practice of osteopathic medicine.
  • Have been recommended by the faculty for graduation.
  • Be present at the University Commencement Ceremony as well as the UNE COM Physician Hooding Ceremony of their class at the time the degree is conferred, unless otherwise excused by the Dean.

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