Students Administer Flu Vaccines, Create a Course Focused on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Research HPV Vaccination

You'll also read about NSU's CDC Grant to Study 'COVID Long Haulers,' PCOM’s Latino Medical Student Association leadership's views on Hispanic Heritage Month, KCU – Joplin’s nuclear receptor research and more.

ATSU-KCOM Launches New Elective Course with Focus on I/DD Community

Three A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) students led an effort to secure a grant to create a new elective course to educate students in providing care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Read more about this important new offering.

CHSU-COM Students Awarded $50,000 in Scholarships

Above right: first-year CHSU-COM medical student and scholarship recipient Bibi Aysha Patel 

A number of inaugural medical students at the California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) were awarded scholarships totaling $50,000 this academic year. The medical students were selected through an application process that is based on both merit and financial need. Meet a few of this year’s scholarship recipients.

TCOM Student and Wife Launch ‘One-Stop, No-Scratch’ Mitten Shop

Kimberlynne and Cole Romney and children; Inset: Kimberlynne’s baby mittens

Baby mittens are perhaps the crown jewel of cuteness for little hands and feet. However, they can also be hot, sweaty, and cumbersome for babies trying to use their hands. Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) student Cole Romney and his wife Kimberlynne noticed this with their infant daughter soon after she was born in July 2016. They didn’t like it. “So my wife decided to look into making her own mittens with the purpose of protecting our little one from scratching herself but also allowing her to see and interact with her hands, as well as making them breathable,” Cole said. Learn more about this innovation.

ICOM Hosts 2nd Annual Campus Flu Shot Clinic

From left: Student doctors Bo Dayton, Hayden Ton, Michael Muller and George Grkovic, all second-year students at ICOM, participate in the college's flu shot clinic on campus.

Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM)'s second-year medical students hosted the college's second annual Flu Shot Clinic on campus. More than 100 faculty, staff and students received the influenza vaccine, administered by ICOM student doctors with physician supervision. Learn more about the event. 

DMU-COM Healthy Cooking Elective Gives Students Hands-On Nutritional Knowledge

DMU-COM students build a better breakfast in a recent Healthy Cooking Elective session.

Back in 2007, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM) began offering its students hands-on instruction and information on a key aspect of health that was taught at very few medical schools—nutrition. Since then, the Healthy Cooking Elective has become a highly popular course that in past years brought students together once a week to prepare a meal in the Wellness Center teaching kitchen. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course took on a virtual format this fall, but it has retained the same key ingredients—hands-on meal preparation, information and ideas on using healthy ingredients and ways students can use what they learn to counsel future patients. Learn more about the elective.

WVSOM and West Virginia Wesleyan College Partner to Offer Pathway to Medical School with Undergraduate Admission

From left: WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, PhD, and West Virginia Wesleyan College President Joel Thierstein, JD, PhD

The presidents of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) and West Virginia Wesleyan College conducted a formal agreement signing for the "Go DO" Early Scholars Program on October 20. High school students who qualify for the program will receive guaranteed acceptance into WVSOM upon successful completion of the undergraduate program requirements and interview, as well as a waived MCAT. Up to 10 prospective students will be admitted to the program each year. Learn more about Go DO.

PCOM LMSA Leadership Share Importance of Hispanic Heritage Month

Leadership from PCOM's LMSA chapter gathered for a photo in January 2020, following the results of their election. From left: Karen Alejandres, Annie Kim, Camila Salazar, Dianne Mancheno, Olivia Bowles, Kimberly Tena Diaz, Shirley Hochhauser and Jose Huergo

This year, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) hosted a series of virtual events welcoming new students and allies alike. These events focused on the Latinx presence in healthcare and medical disparities. Leaders from PCOM LMSA shared their experience as Hispanic medical students and why Hispanic Heritage Month is so important to them. Hear from PCOM LMSA leadership.

KCU-Joplin Faculty and Medical Students’ Work Published Alongside Other Leaders in the Field of Nuclear Receptor Research

The KCU-Joplin research team, led by Jeffery Staudinger, PhD, and Bradley Creamer, PhD

Kansas City University (KCU) – Joplin faculty and student doctors were invited to collaborate on an article published in the journal Cells alongside other leaders in the nuclear receptor field. The journal's special issue is titled, "The Xenobiotic Receptors CAR and PXR in Health and Disease," and the published article is titled, “Associations between Pregnane X Receptor and Breast Cancer Growth and Progression.” Learn more about the published article.

KCU Global Track Students Impact Kenyan Community and Win Prestigious Osteopathic Research Award

KCU medical students Carli Edwards (left photo, center) and Farzeen Syed (right photo, left) during their Global Track research in Kenya

KCU medical students Farzeen Syed and Carli Edwards set out to study community knowledge of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in a village in Kenya as part of their Global Track research. They measured the level of openness to receiving the HPV vaccine that could lead to fewer deaths from cervical cancer. Their work made an impact on the health of the people who participated in the study, and the students received a prestigious award in the Bureau of International Osteopathic Medicine 2020 Research Competition: Research Abstract Category for their project. Learn more about their research.

NSU Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine Receives $4 Million CDC Grant for ‘COVID Long Haulers’ Study

From left: members of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine (INIM) team: Maria Vera-Nunez, MD, MS; Irma Rey, MD; Nancy Klimas, MD, professor and director of the INIM; Alison Bested, MD; and Irina Rozenfeld, MSN, APRN. Photo taken prior to the pandemic.

Nancy Klimas, MD, Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine at Nova Southern University (NSU) and Professor of Medicine and Chair of the Department of Clinical Immunology at the NSU Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM) has helped secure a $4 million Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant to investigate residual symptoms in COVID-19 “long haul” patients. NSU will work with the Florida Department of Health to identify potential participants along with partner healthcare providers, such as Community Health of South Florida, Inc. in Miami. They are hoping to enroll a diverse sample of 2,200 individuals in the study. NSU is the only institution to receive this federal contract. Learn more about this important study.

Rocky Vista University Welcomes Inaugural Provost, Dr. David Forstein

Rocky Vista University (RVU) is pleased to announce David Forstein, DO, (left) as the university’s Inaugural Provost. He will provide oversight and ensure excellence for all the university’s programs on both campuses. “Rocky Vista University continues its transformation from a singular College of Osteopathic Medicine to a leading Health Sciences University,” said Clinton E. Adams, DO, FACHE, President and CEO of RVU. “This cannot be effectively achieved, however, without a significant investment in leadership—leadership that has broad experience, national recognition, and most important, alignment with the seven guiding principles and core values of the University: Integrity, Compassion, Excellence, Collegiality, Diversity, Service and Innovation. If you know Dr. Forstein, you understand why the [University] is so proud and fortunate to have him join the RVU family.”