title: Predictive relationship of osteopathic manual medicine grades and COMLEX-USA Level 1 total scores and osteopathic principles and practice subscores.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteopathic manual medicine (OMM) encompasses hands-on diagnosis and treatment as part of patient care. The area of osteopathic principles and practice (OPP) is considered a core competency for students and practitioners of this medical tradition. The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) is a useful tool for assessing candidates' competency.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship of COMLEX-USA Level 1 total scores and OPP subscores with OMM course grades, and to determine if these grades are predictive of COMLEX-USA Level 1 OPP performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors collected data-COMLEX-USA Level 1 total and OPP subscores, OMM grades (written, practical, and total for first and second academic years), sex, and age-for a cohort of osteopathic medical students at a single institution, and these data were then analyzed by means of correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records were obtained from a second-year class of osteopathic medical students (N=217). The authors' analysis of total scores and OPP subscores on COMLEX-USA Level 1 yielded a statistically significant correlation with all variables. Although the correlations were moderate, second-year written examination grades showed the strongest association with the COMLEX-USA Level 1 OPP subscores (r=0.530) and total scores (r=0.566).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performance in the second-year OMM written examination could identify students potentially at risk for poor performance on COMLEX-USA Level 1.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Osteopathic Manual Medicine (Dr Lewis), the Department of Academic Affairs (Dr Johnson), and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (Dr Finnerty) at Des Moines University in Iowa drew.d.lewis@dmu.edu.
authors.forename: Drew D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Osteopathic Manual Medicine (Dr Lewis), the Department of Academic Affairs (Dr Johnson), and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (Dr Finnerty) at Des Moines University in Iowa.
authors.forename: Mary T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Osteopathic Manual Medicine (Dr Lewis), the Department of Academic Affairs (Dr Johnson), and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (Dr Finnerty) at Des Moines University in Iowa.
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Finnerty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D008297:Male; D010021:Osteopathic Medicine / Q000193:education*; D055360:Osteopathic Physicians / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States