Students Celebrate Black History Month, Mentor Girls in STEM Program and Advocate for OME at the Utah State Capitol
Published February 17, 2022
Campus Roundup Inside OME
UNTHSC/TCOM Celebrates the Beginning of Black History Month
Photo: April Enard, DO '11, and Jessica Edwards, DO '14, both featured in UNTHSC/TCOM's Black History Month celebration.
The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC/TCOM) is proud to honor the pioneering efforts of many African American men and women who have paved the way for many in the medical and osteopathic community. Today, we see the profound impact being made by African American osteopathic physicians, from UNTHSC/TCOM alumni and faculty to the next generation of medical professionals.
“I’m so happy that we are taking the time and effort to bring recognition and celebration around Black History Month,” said Dean Frank Filipetto, DO. “Osteopathic medicine has had many trailblazers throughout its history, and I hope our entire faculty, staff and students will join me in recognizing the importance and celebrating their accomplishments.” Read more about the featured UNTHSC/TCOM alumni and faculty.
WVSOM Green Coat Program Lets Undergraduates Sample Health Professions
Five years ago, Kirsten Gateless was a junior at West Virginia’s Davis & Elkins College who dreamed of becoming a physician. This May, Gateless is on track to graduate with a medical degree from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) and hopes to specialize in surgery or emergency medicine.
The Flatwoods, West Virginia, native said she couldn’t have done it without the Green Coat program, a partnership between WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative (RHI) and Davis Medical Center in Elkins, WV, that allows undergraduate students to get an early glimpse of what it’s like to work in a hospital. Gateless is one of three aspiring physicians who have completed the program at Davis and gone on to pursue medical degrees at WVSOM.
“I knew from my freshman year that I wanted to go to medical school,” Gateless said. “I was always interested in the sciences. And I knew I wanted to go beyond nursing, because where I grew up, everybody expects women in healthcare to be nurses, and I didn’t want to do that.” Read more about the program and other students who have joined.
Annalia Foster Named Student Researcher of the Year at NSU-KPCOM Tampa Bay Regional Campus
Third-year student Annalia Foster was selected as the Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-KPCOM) Student Researcher of the Year at the Tampa Bay Regional Campus. Foster, who serves as president of the Student Osteopathic Association for Research and Tampa Bay’s COSGP research liaison, began her research odyssey working with stems cells while she was an undergraduate student. As an NSU-KPCOM student, she conducts research with International Health Initiatives and the VA Tampa Healthcare System on various topics in cardiology. Additionally, she established the first student-run Journal Club at the Tampa Bay Regional Campus, participated in six poster presentations and submitted an article to the Journal of Emergency Medicine. Read this story and more on NSU-KPCOM’s Facebook.
Dignitaries and Supporters Applaud 100th Vaccine Clinic
Faculty, staff, volunteers, students and community partners all gathered to celebrate Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine – California (TUCOM-CA)’s 100th Mobile Vaccine Program mobile clinic. These clinics were developed in collaboration with many partners to bring COVID-19 (and later flu) vaccines to underserved communities. Around 4,500 individuals have been vaccinated just through these clinics alone.
ICOM American Medical Women’s Association Mentors ‘Girls in STEM’ Program
Photo: Lucia Schroeder, OMS II, teaches a phlebotomy technique to a high school student.
Members of the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM)’s American Medical Women’s Association Chapter recently had an opportunity to mentor young women considering careers in medicine. The medical students mentored eight high school students from Centennial High School’s “Girls in STEM” program, which aims to close the gender gap in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
ICOM’s future physicians organized a tour of Idaho’s first medical school, a demonstration of the College’s high-fidelity simulation manikins and a hands-on activity utilizing arterial puncture arm task trainers. Rounding out this intimate teaching experience, ICOM medical students guided the teenagers through phlebotomy techniques. Read more about the program and the ICOM students who led the event.
PCOM Establishes the Medical Education Center of Excellence
Photo: Valerie E. Cadet, PhD, the director of health equity curricular initiatives, speaks to a student.
With a nine-fold mission statement, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has established a Medical Education Center of Excellence under the direction of Art Sesso, DO, senior associate dean and chair of the department of surgery. According to Dr. Sesso, the center, which is the first in the nation, “strengthens PCOM’s ability to prepare the next generation of osteopathic medicine physicians.”
The founding documents state that the center will strive to educate the finest osteopathic physicians, assure an understanding that student outcomes equate to patient outcomes, produce leaders in patient-centered care and develop a campus-wide community of educators. According to PCOM President Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81, the establishment of the center, which has developed the PCOM ONE curriculum for the osteopathic medicine program, underlines the fact that “PCOM is three distinct locations, but one university.” Read more about the center of excellence.
VCOM-Louisiana Students Donate MCAT Resources to HBCU
Photo: SOMA officers Paige Wilson, Amanda Wright and Ariana Faraji, all second-year medical students at VCOM-Louisiana
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana)’s Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) chapter held a book drive for MCAT resources this winter. In total, the students collected 172 MCAT books, as well as several sets of flashcards and worksheets. These items were donated to Grambling State University, a local Historically Black College and University (HBCU), to aid undergraduate students interested in pursuing medicine and to further the growing partnership between the two schools.
VCOM-Carolinas Welcomes New Simulation Manikin of Color
The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) Sim Center has welcomed a new manikin intended to help strengthen VCOM’s diversity and inclusion efforts among current and prospective medical students and properly train future physicians to recognize, diagnose and treat patients with darker skin. Support for this project was provided by a grant from the Alma and T.R. Garrison Fund held at the Spartanburg County Foundation. The Garrison family entrusted these resources to the Foundation many years ago to advance the field of medical research and study. Read more stories like this on VCOM-Carolinas’ Facebook.
PCOM Professor Trains Medics in Syria
Robert Bassett, DO ‘06, is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at PCOM and a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. He has been a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and has received several Army Commendation medals. During his latest deployment, he was able to closely engage with the local community. Read more about Dr. Bassett and his work with the U.S. Army.
AZCOM/MWU and CCOM/MWU Students Helping to Provide Healthcare Experiences for High Schoolers
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM/MWU) and the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University (CCOM/MWU) osteopathic medical students are playing a key role in the University’s Virtual Health Sciences Career Month, which will take place in April and provide high school-aged students with interactive presentations and hands-on labs that explore career paths in osteopathic medicine. Teachers in Illinois and Arizona will introduce hundreds of students to healthcare careers via the event. AZCOM/MWU and CCOM/MWU students are volunteering to act as Zoom mentors for Q&A sessions, helping high schoolers understand the path and prerequisites they need to pursue a career as an osteopathic physician.
RVUCOM-SU Students Advocate for Physicians’ Issues at Utah State Capitol
Photo: Dr. Thomas Told, acting associate dean; Rakael Brown, OMS III; Julian Ortiz, OMS III; Shannon McKim, OMS III; Dr. Noel Nye, president of the Utah Medical Society; Elliot Davis, OMS III; Will Byre-Quinn, OMS III; and Kyle Shepherd, OMS III. Not photographed are Adam Berry, OMS II; Lawsen Parker, OMS II; and Nathan Doyle, OMS IV, who traveled from Omaha, Nebraska to join their fellow classmates.
As part of Doctors Day (sponsored by the Utah Medical Society), Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine Southern Utah Campus (RVUCOM-SU) students climbed the Utah State Capitol steps to advocate for issues affecting the practices of all state physicians. They were briefed by key legislators on three House bills and two Senate bills. Share this story on RVUCOM’s twitter.