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COMAT Clinical – Pediatrics


Core Knowledge & Elements of Osteopathic Principles in the Discipline of Pediatrics

Content Outline and Assessment Objectives

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

Dimension 1- Patient Presentation

Topic Percentage
Cardiology/Respiratory 18-25%
CNS – Behavior/Psychiatry 10-16%
Endocrine/Metabolism 4-8%
Gastrointestinal 8-14%
Genitourinary 6-10%
HEENT 6-10%
Hematology/Oncology/Lymphatics 6-10%
Musculoskeletal/OP (Osteopathic Principles & Practice) 6-10%
Growth & Development 10-16%
Skin 6-10%

Dimension 2 – Physician Tasks

Topic %
Diagnostic Technologies 15–25%
Health Promotion/Disease Prevention/Health Care Delivery 10–20%
History & Physical 35–50%
Management 10–20%
Scientific Mechanisms of Disease 5-10%

Selected Specific Learner-Centered Objectives for Pediatrics

For Pediatrics, 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. Cardiology/Respiratory: congenital disorders, neonatal respiratory distress, vascular diseases, and infectious diseases and other inflammatory conditions affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems
  2. CNS-Behavior/Psychiatry: common behavioral problems, including sleep and colic in infants; tantrums, feeding issues, and potty training in toddlers; attention deficit disorder, encopresis, and oppositional defiant disorder in school-aged children; eating disorders, substance use/abuse, and conduct disorders in adolescents; pervasive developmental disorders, mood and anxiety disorders and headache
  3. Endocrine/Metabolism: nutrition, diabetes, abnormal growth, thyroid disorders and menstrual disorders
  4. Gastrointestinal: nutrition, obesity, failure to thrive, digestive difficulties, abdominal pain and infectious diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system
  5. HEENT: allergies, dental health, congenital anomalies, and ophthalmic and otorhinolaryngologic disorders
  6. Hematology/Lymphatics: common anemias, lymphadenopathy, immune system disorders, bleeding disorders, malignancies and toxicity
  7. Integument: rashes, lesions and neonatal skin conditions
  8. Musculoskeletal/OP: structural disorders, sports medicine, trauma, somatic dysfunction, viscerosomatic relationships, infectious diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system and rheumatology
  9. Normal Growth and Development: developmental milestones (e.g., Denver Developmental examination), puberty and the sequence of physical changes in development (e.g., Tanner scale), health promotion, variants of normal growth in healthy children, screening and disease and injury prevention, and anticipatory guidance and immunizations for newborns, infants, toddlers, school-aged children and adolescents
  10. Renal/Urinary: congenital abnormalities, urinary tract infections, laboratory abnormalities and nephropathy and neoplasms affecting the renal system

Selected Student and Faculty Learning Resources for Pediatrics

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

Sample Questions

The Pediatrics 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 perform on the examination.

Additional Resources

Nelson’s Textbook of Pediatrics

Author: Kliegman & Geme 21st edition, 2019

The Harriet Lane Handbook of Pediatrics

Author: Johns Hopkins Hospital 22nd Edition, 2020

An Osteopathic Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment

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

An Osteopathic Approach to Children

Author: Carreiro 2nd Edition, 2009

Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine

Author: Seffinger 4th Edition, 2019