OMS Years III & IV

The faculty develops the OMS-III curriculum at ARCOM to ensure all students acquire the osteopathic core competencies essential for progressing toward Graduate Medical Education. This curriculum provides a broad range of experiences with dedicated clinical preceptors as well as supplemental learning content and guides students in their transition toward Residency.   As students rotate through their core rotations, their learning provides the framework for success on national Board examinations such as COMLEX.  Upon completion of the third year, students will have a strong foundation for their advanced clinical learning.

The objective of clinical education at ARCOM is to provide a comprehensive experience in the major core disciplines of medicine, fostering the development of well-rounded physicians ready to enter any specialty for residency training. Alongside the core rotations, students can customize their clinical experience through two Selective rotations and a Non-Clinical Elective. ARCOM partners with health systems across a five-state region to provide these third-year clinical experiences through hospital-based and community-based rotations.

During the OMS-III year, the following four-week rotations are scheduled to be completed at one of ARCOM’s core regions:

For a detailed description of each clinical rotation, including objectives, evaluations, and expected outcomes, please refer to ARCOM’s Clinical Training Manual.

Clinical students follow the work schedule and calendar governing the assigned clinical service for each 4-week block, which may differ from the COM calendar. Students may need to work weekends, evenings, holidays, or other days outside the general COM calendar to ensure continuity, quality clinical education, and patient care requirements.  Overall, ARCOM adheres to national standards for student work hours.

Twice during the third year, students return to campus for Days at the Fort, participating in sessions that may include Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), Career Counseling, and Clinical Skills practice.

The OMS-IV core curriculum, like OMS-III, includes an educational program established by the COM and developed by the faculty. It ensures all students acquire the skills and competencies to transition into Graduate Medical Education (GME). This curriculum allows students to prepare for their future specialties while building a professional portfolio of experiences and leadership skills.

During the OMS-IV year, the following rotations are scheduled and can be completed at any location that establishes an academic affiliation agreement with ARCOM:

Electives provide the opportunity to explore various medical interests and GME opportunities.

If you are a physician willing to serve as a preceptor for ARCOM students, click here for information.