Students Provide OMT During a Marathon, Administer Flu Shots, Attend White Coat Ceremonies and More

KCU-COM Students Help Local Communities During WE CARE Day

Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM) student doctors recently volunteered at the Kansas City Community Kitchen to serve hot meals to some of Kansas City’s homeless and most vulnerable populations. Another group of students volunteered that same day at Pendleton Heights orchard where they planted trees and local pollinator flowers, and spread mulch. Read more coverage of the day’s events from Northeast News.

DMU-COM Students Offer OMT to Marathon Runners

Photo: It was a beautiful day for OMM treatments at a recent Des Moines, Iowa, marathon.

The hundreds of participants in the IMT Des Moines Marathon races on October 16 were treated to a welcome sight at the end of the course, and not just the finish line—Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM) medical students, physical therapy and podiatric medicine students stood ready to provide osteopathic manual medicine treatments, physical therapy and foot and ankle first aid post-race in the event’s athletic recovery zone.

WVSOM Professor Named One of 50 ‘West Virginia Wonder Women’

Deborah Schmidt, DO, was listed as one of the year’s “West Virginia Wonder Women” by WV Living Magazine. Schmidt, who chairs West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM)’s Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice, is one of 50 women profiled in the publication’s fall 2021 issue for “raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries and forcing change for the greater good.” Read more about Dr. Schmidt and her numerous accomplishments.

PCOM Georgia Student Doctors Celebrate White Coat Ceremony

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus (PCOM Georgia) held its 17th Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine White Coat Ceremony on Friday, October 8, in which 138 student doctors, members of the Class of 2025, received their white coats. Faculty members helped the students into their coats on the stage of the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia. Read more about PCOM Georgia’s White Coat Ceremony and the selected speakers.

CHSU-COM Hosts First Residency Fair

Photo: CHSU-COM OMS II students Seaverson Stoll, Volodia Muradyan and Dina Shakran learn about the Family Medicine residency program at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, California.

The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) hosted their first Residency Fair on their campus in Clovis, California. A total of ten residency programs from their Central Valley region participated to meet their students and introduce them to residency programs in the area. Read more about the college’s first residency fair.

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Awards 2021 Sullivan 180 Medical Scholarship

Alexa Walsh, a third-year student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - New York (TouroCOM-NY), was named recipient of the 2021 Sullivan 180 Medical Scholarship, announced TouroCOM Executive Dean Kenneth Steier, DO. This award promotes the practice of medicine in underserved areas by offering tuition assistance to a TouroCOM-NY Middletown Campus student who has demonstrated financial need, outstanding academic work and dedication to improving the health of the local community.

Walsh, a teaching assistant and student ambassador, was awarded the scholarship for her interest in practicing rural medicine in Sullivan County, New York. She will receive a $10,000 grant towards tuition expenses for her third and fourth years at TouroCOM-NY.

“TouroCOM’s mission is to train osteopathic physicians to practice medicine in underserved communities,” said Dr. Steier. “This scholarship aligns with our efforts to educate the next generation of physicians who value and support public service and strive to improve health outcomes in the Hudson Valley. Alexa Walsh is an excellent choice for recipient of the new scholarship.”

Read more about the 2021 Sullivan 180 Medical Scholarship and Alexa Walsh.

PCOM President Receives 2021 DEI Unification Award

PCOM today announced President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO, as the recipient of the American Osteopathic Association’s (AOA) 2021 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Unification Award. This inaugural award recognizes exemplary leadership and commitment to promoting and advancing DEI initiatives in the osteopathic community. The award was presented during a virtual ceremony during the Osteopathic Medical Education Conference.

“I am honored and humbled to be the first recipient of this award,” said Feldstein. “PCOM has made tremendous strides in our effort to create a more diverse and inclusive campus community, but we know our work must continue–as individuals and as a college–to truly achieve greater equity.” Read more about the award and the PCOM programming around DEI initiatives.

ICOM Students Administer Flu Shots During Drive-Thru Health Fair

Photo: Joshua Shieh, OMS II, administers an influenza vaccine.

Student doctors at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) administered more than 50 flu vaccines to attendees of the Treasure Valley Drive-Thru Health & Resource Fair on Saturday, October 16. The second annual drive-thru health fair offered participants the opportunity to receive a free flu vaccine from the comfort and safety of their own vehicle. Read more about the event and how clinical experience, such as providing flu vaccines, can help aspiring physicians.

RVUCOM-SU White Coat Ceremonies Held at Tuacahn Center for the Arts

Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine Southern Utah Campus (RVUCOM-SU)’s Class of 2025 received their white coats on Saturday, October 9 at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts while surrounded by family and friends (and the set of Tuacahn’s latest production, Beauty and the Beast). Earlier in the day, and better late than never, RVUCOM’s Class of 2024 also attended their white coat ceremony, which was delayed by a year because of the pandemic. RVUCOM is excited to welcome all of its new student doctors. Connect with RVUCOM-SU on Instagram for stories like this and more.

VCOM-Louisiana Hosts Second-Annual White Coat Ceremony

Photo: VCOM-Louisiana first-year medical students being coated by faculty and family members during the second-annual white coat ceremony.

On Saturday October 9, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) held its second annual White Coat Ceremony to honor the Class of 2025. Students received their white coats on stage in front of family and friends, celebrating their first year of medical school and symbolizing the compassion and purity of the medical profession.

VCOM-Carolinas Hosts Annual Fall Research Fair

Photo: Patrick Fisher, PhD, assistant professor for genetics, immunology and cell biology/physiology at VCOM-Carolinas, presents his latest research findings to students at the Fall Research Fair.

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) held its annual Fall Research Fair on October 13. Students and faculty members participated in the catered event, in which faculty researchers presented their latest posters. Connect with VCOM-Carolinas on Facebook and view photos from the event and more stories.

VCOM-Auburn Holds Class of 2025 White Coat Ceremony

The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn) celebrated its White Coat Ceremony on Sunday, October 10. This was the first White Coat Ceremony since the COVID-19 campus closure that families and friends could attend. Students from the Class of 2025 received their coats, as well as beautiful stethoscopes that featured the VCOM logo. The administration, faculty and staff at VCOM-Auburn were thrilled that students were able to once again have family and friends take part in this special occasion. Connect with VCOM-Auburn on Facebook and view photos from the event and more stories.

Veterans Hospital in Tulsa Celebrates Historic Groundbreaking

Photo: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences President Johnny Stephens (left) and OSU President Kayse Shrum gather with Courtney Knoblock, director, Veterans Hospital in Tulsa and Steven L. Lieberman with the Veterans Health Administration at the groundbreaking for the Veterans Hospital in Tulsa on Friday, October 15.

Leaders from across government, academia, healthcare and philanthropy came together to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Veterans Hospital in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. The new hospital, which will be housed on the expanded OSU Medical Center Campus, will convert the existing Kerr-Edmondson buildings into a modern 275,000 square-foot, 58-bed medical-surgical hospital for veterans. The project, Veterans Hospital in Tulsa, is a collaboration between the federal government, state of Oklahoma, Tulsa County, city of Tulsa, private philanthropy and Oklahoma State University. Read more about the new Veterans Hospital and what it means for the local community.

NSU-KPCOM Students Receive Recognition at AOF Honors Gala

Third-year Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-KPCOM) students Aakangsha Jain (pictured left) and Janelle N. Torres (pictured right) received significant recognition at the American Osteopathic Foundation’s Virtual Honors Gala.

Torres was one of five recipients of a $10,000 William G. Anderson, DO, Minority Scholarship, which honors minority medical students who are working to eliminate healthcare disparities and to enhance patient-centered care for all. Torres said her background as the first-generation daughter of minority immigrants instilled in her a “commitment to giving back to others through service.”