Joint clinical clerkships for osteopathic and allopathic medical students: New England's experience

Abstract

Although combined osteopathic and allopathic medical programs are well established for graduate medical education and continuing medical education, little has been published in the literature about such integration at the undergraduate level. The authors describe the preliminary efforts of a joint clinical clerkship program with students from regional osteopathic and allopathic medical schools at a major community teaching hospital in New England. Osteopathic principles and practice are consistently reinforced, exposing students from both medical backgrounds to them. It is hoped that this pilot program serves as a model for developing similar combined programs throughout the United States.