Yes, it's over. After spending the last week really working on all the osteopathic manipulation techniques we've learned so far, and feeling like I would never get it right, exam day has come and I just finished my practical about an hour ago.
The thing is. . . the practicals are 40% of our grade, so they're quite important.
The good thing is. . . I passed! And I passed pretty well.
Lost a few points because I had to have a little direction on the treatment for a tender point located in a posterior lateral location. I had the procedure down pat for a thoracic spinous process; somehow forgot to practice the lateral transverse process tender points. Once he reminded me of what I should do, I immediately remembered how to do it, so I didn't lose but a few points there, and a couple of more on the thoracic (trapezius) kneading for letting my thumbs slide too much.
Got to do a little cervical stretching. That one is relatively simple, and one of the first ones we learned.
Good part was I got down all the indications and contraindications for all of them, so lost no points there.
But, I tell you, when he told me to do a dynamic posture evaluation, I thought I would die. That's a gait evaluation, and the lab in which we learned the procedures was the one in which I was the walker. I never really got to observe anyone else walking. Somehow, though, I had studied the techniques and what to look for, and I got through it just fine. Didn't lose a single point! Helped having a partner who had an obvious dropped shoulder and limited arm swing on the same side.
Nailed all the identification of the vertebrae that he asked me to, with the hardest one being the transverse processes of C1. Also had spinous process of C2, T1, T7, and L3.
So. . . . for those of you considering an osteopathic school, let me tell you. . . . it is a lot of fun! And a lot of hard work! I'm using muscles that haven't been used for years. . . and loving every minute of it. But I have to admit, for me, learning the osteopathic manipulation treatment is really important. Having lived with chronic pain for many years, I am pleased to see that there are ways of treating other than just throwing more medicine into one's body.
Now it's back to the books to learn about sensitivity/specificity/likelihood ratio, etc., and a basic beginning of immunology (one of my favorite subjects since that is where my research experience is!)
Congrats on passing your first exam! OMT sounds like a lot of fun. I hope I’ll get to do it someday… 
Love,
Stacy
Good job!!
Here, here!
(insert clapping smiley here)
Great job Linda. Sounds like fun, I wish I would have learned that first year! 
Hey Linda,
Congratulations on the great pass. Isn't medical school fun???
Natalie (sitting here in the Trauma ICU)
Woohoo! Congrats Linda! Sounds like you’re an ace. Keep up the great work!!!
You know, the funny thing is, I think all of the members of the PBL curriculum did pretty darned good on our practicals. I know some of the SBL members were complaining about being graded pretty hard, but I’m sure most of them did fine.
But. . . . if you had looked at the review sessions that were available to us, right up to the evening before the exam, you would have seen a lot more of the PBL students than the SBL, probably because this exam came right in the middle of their block week, and they had so many other exams to contend with.
Just one more reason I love PBL!!
And Nat, you’re absolutely right. I can’t imagine having any more fun than I am right now! I have even found that studying is fun when you can take what you learn and immediately apply it to medical situations! Long live PBL!!! 
That's great news! It's even better to hear how much you are enjoying med school – thanks!