You’ve survived the MCAT, the application cycle, and the white coat ceremony. Now, you are officially an OMS-1 (Osteopathic Medical Student, Year 1). Congratulations—and welcome to the firehose.
Wear clothes you are willing to throw away. The formalin smell will never fully wash out. You’ve survived the MCAT, the application cycle, and
Sundays are for meal prep. Chicken, rice, and broccoli will fuel your brain better than the free pizza at the student interest group meeting. Wear clothes you are willing to throw away
But you are also going to feel the rush of identifying a structure no one else could find. You are going to palpate a C7 transverse process and realize you just fixed your friend's headache. You are going to look at your white coat in the closet and realize that the person inside that coat is finally becoming a doctor. Chicken, rice, and broccoli will fuel your brain
During your first semester, you will feel clumsy. You will struggle to feel a "boggy" texture or a "restrictive barrier." You might wonder if this is "real" medicine. The Reality Check: By the end of OMS-1, you will be able to diagnose a rotated vertebra and treat your study partner’s low back pain after an 8-hour lecture day. Embrace the weirdness. Learn the muscle energy now so you aren't cramming for COMLEX Level 1 later. The Great Board Debate: COMLEX vs. USMLE Day one of OMS-1 is when you should start thinking about two board exams. You must take COMLEX to graduate. You may choose to take USMLE for competitive residencies.