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COMAT Clinical – Internal Medicine


Core Knowledge & Elements of Osteopathic Principles in the Discipline of Internal Medicine

Content Outline and Assessment Objectives

The exam blueprint below contains the Internal Medicine topics covered in two dimensions: Dimension 1 – Patient Presentation and Dimension 2 – Physician Tasks.

Dimension 1- Patient Presentation

Topic Percentage
Allergy/Chemical/Skin/Miscellaneous 7-13%
Cardiovascular 7-13%
Endocrine/Nutrition/Metabolism 7-13%
Gastrointestinal 7-13%
Hematology/Oncology 7-13%
Infectious Diseases 7-13%
Neurology 7-13%
Renal/Hypertension 7-13%
Respiratory 7-13%
Rheumatology/Musculoskeletal 7-13%

Dimension 2 – Physician Tasks

Topic %
Health Promotion/Disease Prevention 5-15%
History/Physical/Diagnosis 35-55%
Management 20-35%
Scientific Mechanisms of Disease 15-25%

Selected Specific Learner-Centered Objectives for Internal Medicine

For Internal Medicine, the examinee will be required to demonstrate the ability to diagnose and manage selected patient presentations and clinical situations involving, but not limited to:

  1. Allergy/Skin/Miscellaneous: atopic diseases, anaphylaxis, drug allergy, common dermatological conditions and skin lesions and chemical exposure
  2. Cardiovascular: acute coronary syndromes, arrhythmias, chronic ischemic disease of the heart, congenital heart disease, hyperlipidemia, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure, aortic dissection, valvular heart disease, pericarditis and endocarditis
  3. Endocrine: weight gain/loss, adrenal disorders, diabetes mellitus, parathyroid and thyroid disturbances, pituitary disorders, disorders of the testes and women’s health
  4. Gastrointestinal: diseases of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, liver, gallbladder and pancreas; gastrointestinal disease prevention, gastrointestinal tract cancer and other gastroesophageal issues
  5. Hematology/Oncology: coagulation disorders, anemia, solid tumors, hematologic malignancies and screening and disease prevention
  6. Infectious diseases: commonly encountered infectious and immunological diseases and host responses, HIV infections, bioterrorism, and infectious disease treatment and prevention/prophylaxis
  7. Musculoskeletal: osteoporosis, somatic dysfunction, viscerosomatic relationships, inflammatory and non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases, vasculitis, and disorders of bone and muscle
  8. Neurology: brain anatomy/function, stroke, disorders of the spinal cord and peripheral nerves, disorders of cerebral function and central nervous system neoplasms
  9. Renal/Hypertension: fluid and electrolyte disorders, acute renal injury, chronic kidney disease, renal calculi, glomerular and tubulointerstitial disorders, obstructive uropathy and arterial hypertension
  10. Respiratory: respiratory tract cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, critical care medicine and respiratory failure

Selected Student and Faculty Learning Resources for Internal Medicine

In addition to the aforementioned objectives, examples of supplementary resources used by the NBOME to inform the development of the Internal Medicine exam are listed below:

Sample Questions

The Internal Medicine sample questions are primarily designed to assist the candidate in navigating through the examination, and it is provided to facilitate the actual testing experience. It is not designed to give the candidate a score or provide information about how a candidate might actually perform on the examination.

COMAT-SE

COMAT-SE is designed to provide exposure to COMAT style questions and resources for additional learning, prior to taking the COMAT Internal Medicine exam.

Additional Resources

Cecil Textbook of Medicine

Author: Goldman & Schafer, 26th Edition, 2019

Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine

Author: Jameson, Fauci, Kasper, Hauser, Longo, & Loscalzo, 21st Edition, 2022

CURRENT Medical Diagnosis & Treatment

Author: Papadakis & McPhee, 61st Edition, 2022

Resident Readiness: Internal Medicine

Author: Klamen, 1st Edition, 2013

The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics

Author: Crees et al., 37th Edition, 2022

The Washington Manual of Outpatient Internal Medicine

Author: De Fer & Sateia, 3rd Edition, 2022

An Osteopathic Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment

Author: DiGiovanna, Amen, & Burns, 4th Edition, 2020

Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine

Author: Seffinger, 4th Edition, 2019