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MEDICAL STUDENT

PERSPECTIVES

A NOVEL EXPERIENCE AT THE UIW SCHOOL OF
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

By Manojna Kintada

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to become a physician. And to achieve that, I
tried to map out every step of my life. I worked hard in my undergraduate studies taking
challenging classes to prepare for my next step: medical school. However, when the day
came to make my decision on which medical school to attend, I was in a dilemma. On one
hand, I had the opportunity to attend the University of the Incarnate Word School of Os-
teopathic Medicine (“UIWSOM”) and be a part of the inaugural class of 2021. On the
other hand, I had the option of attending medical schools with the traditional curriculum
consisting of the multitude of tests and quizzes. For someone like me who had mapped
out every step of my life, it was intimidating to attend a school as a member of the inaugural
class. However, I realized that real growth came from stepping out of my comfort zone
and venturing out something new. I realized that the UIWSOM was the perfect fit for me
because it had unprecedented ideas that will only nurture my growth as a student and an
aspiring physician. The reason I chose UIWSOM was because of its novel curriculum,
dedicated faculty, and the chance I had at making history. I chose this school because I had
the opportunity to be a pioneer in a transformative curriculum that emphasized not only
success, but lifelong learning.

The innovative program at the UIWSOM strives to transform medical students to em-
pathetic and compassionate physicians who are educated to address the needs of all populations including those that are undeserved.
In addition to the didactic classes that focus on the foundations of medicine, I also have the opportunity to participate in community
engagement and early clinical experiences. As a first year medical student, I have the opportunity to serve my community by volunteering
at notable nonprofit organizations around San Antonio such as Haven for Hope. In addition, I have the opportunity to adopt a family
from an undeserved background in the Southside community. By serving in the community, I have come to realize the financial, psy-
chological, and clinical concerns that grip my community. Through the community engagement and early clinical experiences that has
been incorporated into the curriculum, I was able to step into the life of another individual, and visualize the disparities that have stalled
their access to health care and other critical needs. I am grateful that I attend UIWSOM because it enables me to not only serve my
community but also learn about the many disparities that affect the members of the community.

In addition, the novel curriculum at this school integrates a flipped classroom setting. Every week, we are assigned two case studies
that we as student doctors take apart over the span of the next 5 days and report our findings to our peers. Most of the didactic learning
takes place in small group activities which allows us students to collaborate our findings and put it together in a cohesive piece to
present to other students as well as faculty. In addition, we are given ample resources to facilitate our learning such as the Anatomage
and many board prep tools. The curriculum at this school allows me to self-guide my learning and discover new resources to extract
significant information from multiple sources. The curriculum allows for a self-guided learning that has not only allowed me to be a
more proficient learner, but also an adept critical thinker.

My experiences at UIWSOM far exceeded my expectations. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to study under a curriculum
that addresses my needs as a student and allows me to learn using many resources and learning styles. The incorporation and integration
of a curriculum that establishes the didactic knowledge, in addition to the implementation of the humanistic perspective through the
utilization of early clinical experience and community engagement programs truly makes this medical school exceptional and extraor-
dinary. I believe this school will help me become the ideal physician I envision myself becoming: a physician who is focused on lifelong
learning, empathy, and patient-centered care.

Manojna Kintada is an OMS-1 medical student at the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine.

26 San Antonio Medicine • January 2018