Campbell eyes creating osteopathic school

Buies Creek, N.C. — The Campbell University Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to begin studying whether to create a College of Osteopathic Medicine at the university within three years.

The board is expected to decide by next May whether to proceed with an osteopathic school, and trustees have already approved funding to hire a dean, architects and consultants for the potential move.

The practice of osteopathic medicine emphasizes on the interrelationship of the body's nerves, muscles, bones and organs, and physicians apply the philosophy of treating the whole person to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease and injury.

Osteopathic physicians are licensed to practice medicine in all 50 states, and more than 800 osteopaths already practice in North Carolina, Campbell officials said. Eighty North Carolina residents are currently enrolled in various osteopathic medical schools throughout the United States.

Campbell officials said they are responding to the increasing shortage of primary care physicians in North Carolina, the state's population growth, an aging population and the nationwide health care reform effort.

The university will begin a physician assistant program in the fall of 2011.

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More quacks than a duck farm. Nice.

meh2
August 4, 2010 5:32 p.m.

Osteopaths believe that diseases cured "by shaking the body or manipulating the spine."

In fact, Andrew Still (the father of osteo - from the Civil War era) couldn't save his three children who died from spinal meningitis.

He said that he could "shake a child and stop scarlet fever, croup, diphtheria, and cure whooping cough in three days by a wring of its neck".

C'mon people. This is junk science and should have no place in learning institutions...other than how to bamboozle sick people with the placebo effect.

http://www.skepdic.com/osteopathy.html

JustOneGodLessThanU
August 4, 2010 4:35 p.m.

wiseowl stated that this is hooey. But, how can a school with a great record with all types of academia not do what is right? I would like to read and learn more.

Hokie 94
August 4, 2010 4:31 p.m.

That would be wonderful because osteopathic physicians (DOs) are trained with a whole body philosophy which makes them perfect for primary care. They have had the same license privileges and responsibilities as MDs for over half a century plus osteopathic manipulative therapy can help when medication cannot. I know this from personal experience; definitely not a placebo effect. Their education is not inferior to MDs and they are held to the same standards. I was a non medical staff member at an Osteopathic hospital, my son was born there, my wife, son and mother had surgery there. There were MDs and DOs on staff and if you didn't see it on the ID card there was no way to tell by their knowledge or treatment.

4daddyo
August 4, 2010 3:14 p.m.

I've got no problem with this as long as no public money is involved. Campbell's private and they can do as they please.

There is little evidence, however, that osteopathic hooey provides any benefit outside of a placebo effect. Many attendees to osteopathic schools do so because their test scores and grades do not permit them to attend traditional medical schools, not because they have a legitimate interest in osteopathy. D.O. grads can then get back door entrance into the same residency placements as M.D.s.

wiseowl
August 4, 2010 2:37 p.m.