Skip to content

COMAT Clinical – Family Medicine


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

Content Outline and Assessment Objectives

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

Dimension 1- Patient Presentation

Topic Percentage
General 3-10%
Hematology/Oncology & Immune Disorders 5-15%
Genitourinary/Renal & Gynecologic/Reproductive 7-17%
Gastrointestinal 7-17%
Endocrine 5-15%
Musculoskeletal/Dermatology 7-17%
Psychiatry/Neurology 7-17%
Cardiovascular 9-20%
Respiratory 9-20%

*10-20% patients under 18 years old on each form

Dimension 2 – Physician Tasks

Topic %
Health Promotion / Disease Prevention / Health Care Delivery 5-20%
History & Physical/Diagnostic Technologies 40-60%
Management 20-40%
Scientific Understanding of Mechanisms 5-15%

*10-20% patients under 18 years old on each form

Selected Specific Learner-Centered Objectives for Family Medicine

For Family 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. General: Patients presenting for routine examinations, patients presenting for routine screening, patients presenting for vaccinations/preventive care and patients presenting with health care delivery concerns
  2. Cardiovascular System Disorders & Presentations: Asymptomatic patient with a cardiovascular disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to the cardiovascular system, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension/hypotension, left ventricular hypertrophy/cardiomyopathies, pericarditis, valvular heart disease, murmurs & congenital heart disease and vascular (venous, arterial, lymph) disorders
  3. Endocrine System Disorders & Presentations: Asymptomatic patient with an endocrine disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to the endocrine system, adrenal disease, diabetes-related issues, dyslipidemia, electrolyte & serum mineral disorders, growth/puberty & weight-related presentations, gynecologic & male hypogonadism/gynecomastia, heat/cold intolerance or heat-related conditions, osteoporosis/osteomalacia, pituitary disease and thyroid/parathyroid disease
  4. Gastrointestinal System Disorders & Presentations: Asymptomatic patient with a gastrointestinal disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to the gastrointestinal system, anorectal disorders/hernias, gastric disorders, hepatobiliary disorders, mouth/oropharynx/esophageal disorders, nutritional & vitamin deficiencies/nutritional replacement, pancreatic disorders, poisonings/ingestions/foreign bodies and small large bowel disorders
  5. Genitourinary/Renal & Gynecologic/Reproductive System Disorders & Presentations: Asymptomatic patient with a GU/GYN/reproductive disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to these systems, abnormal vaginal bleeding/menstrual-related disorders, boy’s/men’s health, breast disorders, contraceptive management, developmental/sexuality, incontinence, menopause/hormone replacement therapy, ovarian/uterine disorders, pregnancy-related presentations, renal disease/disorders, sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections and vulvovaginal & cervical disorders
  6. Hematology/Oncology & Immune System Disorders & Presentations: Asymptomatic patient with a hematology/oncology or immune disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to these systems, anemias, bleeding disorders, hypercoagulability disorders/hereditary thrombophilias/proliferative disorders, autoimmune disorders, HIV/AIDS/immune deficiencies, cancers of the blood/lymph systems, endocrine cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, genitourinary cancers, gynecologic cancers, respiratory cancers, skin cancers, bone/muscle cancers, breast cancer and neuro/ophthalmologic cancers
  7. Musculoskeletal/Integumentary System Disorders & Presentations: Asymptomatic patient with a musculoskeletal or dermatologic disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to the musculoskeletal or integumentary systems, elbow & lower arm disorders/somatic dysfunction, head & neck disorders/somatic dysfunction, hip & upper leg disorders/somatic dysfunction, lumbar, pelvic & sacral disorders/somatic dysfunction, shoulder & upper arm disorders/somatic dysfunction, thoracic and rib disorders/somatic dysfunction, wrist & hand disorders/somatic dysfunction, ankle/Foot disorders/somatic dysfunction, arthritis/vasculitis/inflammatory conditions, knee & lower leg disorders/somatic dysfunction and soft tissue syndromes 
  8. Dermatology: Benign & premalignant growths/lesions, hair, nail, sweat gland & keratinization disorders, hypersensitivity/allergic/autoimmune skin disorders, infectious skin disorders, infestations/bites/burns/trauma, inflammatory skin disorders, pigmentation disorders and skin manifestations of systemic disease
  9. Psychiatry/Neurology System Disorders & Presentations Asymptomatic patient with a psychiatric or neurologic disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to the psychiatric or neurologic systems, abuse/substance abuse/eating disorders, anxiety disorders, developmental/behavioral & neurologic problems in children/adolescents, mood and adjustment disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia & other psychotic disorders, sleep-related disorders and somatoform disorders 
  10. Neurology: Cerebrovascular disease/TIA/CVA/syncope, dementia/delerium, demyelinating/degenerative & neuromuscular conditions, headaches, meningitis/infectious disorders, neuropathies/neuropathic disorders/chronic pain syndromes and seizure disorders
  11. Respiratory System Disorders & Presentations Asymptomatic patient with a respiratory disorder, symptomatic patient with undifferentiated symptoms related to the respiratory system, ear disorders, eye disorders, neck/salivary gland disorders, nose/sinus disorders, oral/pharynx disorders, pulmonary infectious disorders, pulmonary obstructive disorders and pulmonary restrictive & occupational disorders, pulmonary vascular disorders & pulmonary edema

Selected Student and Faculty Learning Resources for Family Medicine

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

Sample Questions

The Family 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 Family Medicine exam.

Textbook of Family Medicine

Author: Rakel 9th Edition, 2016

Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment

Author: Papadakis & McPhee, 61st Edition, 2022

DynaMed Plus

Regularly updated

Essential Evidence Plus

Regularly updated

US Preventive Services Task Force

Regularly Updated

MedU

Regularly Updated

Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine

Author: Seffinger 4th Edition, 2019

Somatic Dysfunction in Osteopathic Family Medicine

Author: Nelson 2nd Edition, 2015

ACOFP

Regularly updated

An Osteopathic Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment

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