Osteopathic Versus Allopathic Medical School Pathology Curricula: A Survey of Medical Students at Michigan State University

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-2023

Publication Title

Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Abstract

Context: There are no established guidelines for pathology undergraduate medical education (UGME) in US medical schools and sparse literature regarding differences in pathology curricula among allopathic versus osteopathic institutions. We present data from Michigan State University (MSU) allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. This may provide valuable insight into pathology curriculum and specialty exposure within different programs. Design: A voluntary 22-item survey regarding pathology curricula at respective MSU allopathic and osteopathic medical schools was sent to students during 7 months, July 2022 to January 2023. Data analysis was performed using R statistical software. Comparisons of nominal variables were tested using a χ2 test for independence, and comparisons of ordinal variables were made using a χ2 test for trend. Results: The total number of responses between both schools was 363 (n = 363). Of these, 82 (n = 82 of 363; 22.6%) were from allopathic students and 281 (n = 281 of 363; 77.4%) from osteopathic students. Statistically significant differences (P ≤ .05) in responses, all favoring MSU osteopathic over allopathic student response, included perception of pathology as a medical versus surgical specialty (P = .01); knowledge of a dedicated pathology course (P = .002); desire for pathology exposure (P = .003); and awareness of pathology-specific content (P < .001). Conclusions: More research is necessary to understand formative pathology experiences in medical school and how these shape students’ interests. We hope to inspire future studies related to pathology UGME content regardless of university affiliation.

Volume

147

Issue

9

First Page

e152

Comments

College of American Pathologists Annual Meeting, October 7-10, 2023, Chicago, IL

Last Page

e152

DOI

10.5858/arpa.2023-0258-AB

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