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Background: Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DO) are one of the fastest growing segments of health care professionals in the United States. Although Canada has taken significant leaps in the acknowledgment of US trained DOs, there continues to be a lack of understanding of the profession by Canadian trained physicians. In this article, we provide a brief overview of osteopathic medical education and training in the United States.Method: Current information of osteopathic training by American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) was presented. Data pertaining to Canadians enrolled in osteopathic colleges was compared with allopathic (MD) and international medical graduates (IMGs).Results: Doctors of osteopathic medicine programs provide an additional pathway for students interested in pursuing a medical education. Canadian applications to osteopathic colleges are expected to grow due to successful post-graduate US residency matching, increased difficulty of matriculating at Canadian medical schools, and a greater awareness of the profession in Canada.Conclusions: Given the increasing enrollment of Canadian students in US osteopathic medical schools, we expect that Canadian DOs will play a significant role in shaping health care in both the US and Canada.

In a prospective study using a cutoff value of 140 pg/mL, serum estradiol 17-B assay had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 100% in differentiating ectopic pregnancy (6 patients) from normal pregnancy with threatened abortion proceeding to viability (7 patients). In differentiating threatened abortion from spontaneous abortion (9 patients), the estradiol assay had a sensitivity of 88.9% and a specificity of 100%. All but one of the patients with ectopic pregnancy had estradiol levels below the cutoff value of 140 pg/mL, as did all but one of the patients who had spontaneous abortion. All the patients who had threatened abortion that progressed to viability had values well above the cutoff level. The mean estradiol values for the viable pregnancy group were significantly different from those of the other two groups. These data suggest that, at the institution where this study was done, serum estradiol determinations may be of value in the differentiation of both ectopic pregnancy and spontaneous abortion from threatened abortion but appears to be of very limited usefulness in distinguishing ectopic pregnancy from spontaneous abortion. The validity of these conclusions is limited by the small number of subjects. Further studies comprising greater numbers of subjects are needed.

In order to allay concerns about using simulators as opposed to real mothers for teaching and evaluating interviewing skills, a study was designed to test for differences in students' approaches when interviewing simulated and real mothers. Three mothers were trained to give their own children's histories consistently and two mothers trained to simulate a history. Thirty third-year medical students conducted two interviews which were audiotaped. Students were told the nature of the study and whether the mother was real or simulated. One half of the time the mothers were presented as simulators and one half of the time the simulators were presented as mothers. The variable of order was controlled. An objective checklist containing 70 to 80 bits of organic and personal data per case and an interaction analysis (with an average of 285 interactions per interview) were utilized to measure the content material gathered and the approach used by the students. The data were analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique. All but 1 of the 55 null hypotheses were accepted, i.e., no significant differences were found. The Use of Simulation for Teaching and Evaluating Interviewing Skills Provides a Valid Experience.