Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Academics

The school has designed student-centered curricula that recognize that medical students have different learning styles. Students can enroll in the traditional LectureDiscussion Pathway, small-group, Problem-Based Learning Pathway, or the individually directed, selflearning Independent Pathway. The main campus in Erie, Pennsylvania, offers all 3 learning pathways. Brandenton campus enrolls all students in the ProblemBased Learning Pathway. All educational pathways begin with 12 weeks of gross anatomy. The school requires students to complete 2 years of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Training. The Lecture-Discussion Pathway starts with the core curriculum of basic sciences and introduction to clinical education. After gross anatomy, courses are offered in microbiology, immunology, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, health care management, and spirituality, medicine, and ethics. In the second semester of the first year, the curriculum integrates the basic and clinical science components of each particular human organ system through classroom and small-group instruction/discussion. Lectures offer clinical perspectives from the point of view of both the primary care physician and as the specialist. Students begin clinical experience during the first year working with physician preceptors and learning to take patient histories and conduct physical examinations through the Clinical Osteopathic Diagnostic Applications Course taught by local physicians. The ProblemBased Learning Pathway emphasizes student-centered, self-directed learning. Groups of 8 students meet with the faculty facilitator 3 times per week. A series of cases focus on learning the basic and clinical sciences involved in solving patient problems. Students work independently and in small groups on learning issues at each session. Cases are based on actual patients. Students initially learn only the name, age, gender, and chief complaint. Following discussions, the group will request additional information, such as the results of a history and physical. Additional discussion follows and the students begin to form differential diagnoses requesting additional clinical data such as the results of an EKG or an MRI as needed. Students progress through basic science and onto clinical science as they become better at solving patients’ cases at the end of the second year. The Independent Study Pathway provides significant flexibility for students during their first 2 years of medical school. The Pathway requires the student to have excellent organizational and time management skills in order to proceed through the curriculum and meet strict examination deadlines. The program is a closely directed course of study. Students use lists of highly structured learning objectives compiled into module booklets. The modules are divided into Core and Systems. Core modules deal with fundamentals of basic science, while systems modules integrate basic science and clinical disciplines in an organ systems approach to learning. Affiliated Teaching Hospitals The school is affiliated with more than 80 clinical training sites including hospitals, medical centers, clinics, and physician practices to provide quality clinical experiences with graduated responsibility. Elective training opportunities are also available.