title: Osteopathic manipulative treatment for self-reported fatigue, stress, and depression in first-year osteopathic medical students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During medical education, many students experience psychological distress, including symptoms such as fatigue, stress, and depression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on self-perceived fatigue, stress, and depression in first-year osteopathic medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized controlled pilot study with repeated measures was conducted at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida during the fall 2012 semester. First-year osteopathic medical students voluntarily enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to directed OMT (D-OMT), nondirected OMT (ND-OMT), or control groups. The D-OMT and ND-OMT groups received treatment by osteopathic physicians weekly for 4 weeks. The control group received no treatment. All groups completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Self-Perceived Stress Scale (SPSS), and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) depression scale before treatment (pretest), after 2 treatments (midtest), and after 4 treatments (posttest).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants self-reported as white and single, with both sexes equally represented, and had an mean age of 24 years. Analysis of ESS scores revealed a statistically significant decrease in the D-OMT group from pretest and posttest scores and a statistically significant increase in the ND-OMT group from pretest to midtest but not from pretest to posttest scores. No statistically significant differences were noted in the control group scores on this measure. No statistically significant differences were seen in the SPSS or PHQ-9 scores from pretest to midtest or pretest to posttest in any of the 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The D-OMT regimen used in the current study produced a statistically significant decrease in self-perceived fatigue in first-year osteopathic medical students. Osteopathic manipulative treatment represents a potential modality to reduce self-perceived distress in medical students. Further research is warranted.
authors: From the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida (LECOM-Bradenton) sewiegand@gmail.com.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Wiegand
authors: From the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida (LECOM-Bradenton).
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Bianchi
authors: From the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida (LECOM-Bradenton).
authors: Thomas A
authors: TA
authors: Quinn
authors: From the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida (LECOM-Bradenton).
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Best
authors: From the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida (LECOM-Bradenton).
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Fotopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult