Technical Standards

Every applicant seeking admission to Touro University Nevada (TUN) is expected to possess the intellectual, ethical, physical, and emotional capabilities required to undertake the full curriculum and achieve the levels of competence required by the faculty. Once enrolled in TUN, each candidate for the D.O. degree must be able, quickly and accurately, to integrate all information received, perform in a reasonably independent manner, and demonstrate the ability to learn, integrate, analyze and synthesize information and data.

TUN will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations for the physically challenged students, however, in doing so, TUN must maintain the integrity of its curriculum and preserve those elements deemed essential to the acquisition of knowledge in all areas of osteopathic medicine, including the demonstration of basic skills requisite for the practice of osteopathic medicine.

Touro University Nevada is committed to ensuring that otherwise qualified disabled students fully and equally enjoy the benefits of a professional education. Touro University Nevada will make reasonable accommodations necessary to enable a disabled student who is otherwise qualified to successfully complete the degree requirements in osteopathic medicine. However, Touro University Nevada insists that all students meet the minimum essential requirements for the safe, efficient and effective practice of osteopathic medicine.

Please review the below technical standards for admission to ensure you meet all requirements listed, either without accommodation or with reasonable accommodation from the university.

1. Observation: Candidates and students must have sufficient vision to be able to observe demonstrations, experiments, and laboratory exercises in the basic sciences. They must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand.
2. Communication: Candidates and students must be able to speak, hear, and observe in order to elicit information, examine patients, describe changes in mood, activity, and posture, and perceive non-verbal communication. Communication includes not only speech, but also reading and writing. They must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written form with all members of the health care team.
3. Motor Function: Candidates and students must have sufficient motor function and execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required of physicians are cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administration of intravenous medication, the application of pressure to stop bleeding, the opening of obstructed airways, and the suturing of simple wounds. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses to touch and vision.
4. Sensory: Since osteopathic medical candidates and students need enhanced ability in their sensory skills, it will be necessary to evaluate for candidacy those individuals who are otherwise qualified, but who have significant tactile sensory or pro-prioceptive disabilities. This includes individuals with previous burns, sensory motor defects, cicatrix formation, and malformations of upper extremities.
5. Strength and Mobility: Osteopathic manipulative medical treatment often requires sufficient upper extremity and body strength. Therefore, individuals with significant limitations in these areas would be unlikely to succeed. Mobility to attend to emergencies and to perform such maneuvers, as CPR is also required.
6. Visual Integration: Consistent with ability to assess asymmetry, range of motion, and tissue color and texture changes, it is essential for the candidate to have adequate visual capabilities for the integration of evaluation and treatment of the patient.
7. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: The student must be able to demonstrate ability in measurement, calculation, reasoning, comparison and contrasts, analysis and synthesis, and problem solving. Candidates and students must demonstrate ability to comprehend three-dimensional relationships, and to understand spatial relationships of structures.
8. Behavioral and Social Abilities: Candidates and students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive relationships with patients and co-workers. Candidates and students must be able to tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in treating the problems of patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are personal qualities that will be assessed during the admissions and education process.
9. Participation in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Laboratories: Active participation in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Laboratories is an admission, matriculation, and graduation requirement. The development of manipulative medicine palpatory skills is taught in the first and second year osteopathic courses. This learning process requires active participation in all laboratory sessions. During the first two years, each student will palpate, in the laboratory setting, a variety of people representing both genders and individuals with different body types to simulate the diversity of patients expected in a practice setting. Being palpated by other students and faculty helps the student appreciate how palpation feels from the patient’s perspective and enables students to provide feedback to their laboratory partners, thus, enhancing their palpatory skills. Reading and observation, although helpful, do not develop the skills required to perform palpatory diagnosis and manipulative treatment. Each student is required to actively participate in all skills development laboratory sessions.
   Occasionally, a student may have a physical problem, which may contraindicate a specific type of manipulation in a specific anatomical location. A student who feels manipulation might be contraindicated is required to contact the head of the OMM Department before the beginning of the course and present documentation of the problem. A member of the OMM faculty or a consultant at the student’s expense will examine the student during the first week of school. If the problem is confirmed through the examination and review of documentation, special arrangements will be authorized. The student is expected to actively participate in all laboratory sessions not directly affected by the problem.