Some clinical training is conducted during the preclinical years.
Introduction to the clinical aspects of preclinical sciences occurs early in the student's studies, in the correlated organ systems instruction. Under the supervision of campus clinical faculty and physicians at nearby hospitals, rural clinics, nursing homes and public health sites, students learn practical clinical procedures, such as CPR, blood drawing, office laboratory procedures, observation of patient care, introduction to the hospital, geriatrics and community medicine. The first clinical rotation is a 2 month preceptorship with a rural, family medicine osteopathic physician. It is during this training period in a family physician's office that the student develops the basic skills necessary for he conduct of the practice of osteopathic medicine. This course serves as the foundation for all future clinical rotations.