Students Participate in National Case Competition, Promote Wilderness Medicine Club, Teach Elementary School Students About Medicine and More

DMUCOM Students Present Winning Research

Photo: DMUCOM students Connor Frawley, Leah Anderton and Madeline Johnson, and Paul Schenarts, MD, FACS, MAMSE, associate dean for clinical affairs and professor of surgery, were among the authors of research that received the Outstanding Medical Student Paper Award at a recent Association of Program Directors in Surgery conference.

Biases in surgical education may, in part, be skin-deep. That summarizes recent research by five second-year students at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMUCOM). They were invited to present their findings in a paper, titled “Visual misrepresentation: the lack of racial and gender equity in surgical textbooks,” during the Surgical Education Week conference of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery. The students’ work earned the conference’s Outstanding Medical Student Paper Award. This distinction meant more to the students as many of the presenters and attendees at the annual event are residency program directors and medical residents.  Read more about the students’ work.

Innovation Leads a Team of UNTHSC/TCOM Students to Sloan SSM Health National Case Competition

A trio of students from the University of North Texas Health Science Center-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine used tenacity and innovation to advance to the finals of the 3rd Annual Case Competition of Cornell University’s Sloan Program in Health Administration.

First-year students Gabriel Kupovics, Navya Peddireddy and Megana Sundar made it through the initial round of 40 graduate school teams from all across the nation into the semifinals, where they advanced from there to the finals. The students were one of only two medical school teams that advanced to the finals, which featured eight teams from leading graduate school programs in healthcare. Read more about their innovative solution to the challenge.

ATSU-KCOM Students Mark Transition to Clinical Rotation Sites for Third and Fourth Years of Program

A.T. Still University of Health Sciences - Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) students gathered for a ceremony marking their transition from second-year students on the Missouri campus to third-year students heading out to clinical rotation sites across the country. 

Keynote remarks were delivered by Kent Campbell, DO, ’83, who recently retired as associate dean and assistant professor. Melissa Stuart, PhD, microbiology chair, professor, provided the faculty farewell and Jeff Davis, DO, CMD, ’00, associate dean, assistant professor of clinical affairs, gave a welcome to clinical rotations. Read more about the ceremony as well as the Arnold P. Gold Foundation inductees.

ATSU’s Wilderness Medicine Club Promoting Interprofessional Adventure and Education in the Outdoors

At A.T. Still University-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA), the Wilderness Medicine Club was founded in 2019 as a way for students to develop the skills necessary for outdoor emergencies. One of the University’s many registered student organizations, the club enables students to combine their passions for healthcare and the outdoors, while exploring the wilderness and learning how to recognize, treat and prevent outdoor injuries and illnesses.  Read more about the club and hear from members about the importance of outdoor education.

PCOM Georgia Graduate Profile: Caleb Jerris, DO, '23

As the chair of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus (PCOM Georgia) Class of 2023, Caleb Jerris serves as a liaison between the administration and students, in a greatly needed role especially during the COVID pandemic.

“The pandemic quickened the pace of how we could reshape curriculum and learning in medical school,” he said. “I was proud to help our administration by giving the student perspective on proposed policy changes. We made a lot of changes swiftly, and the school relied on me and many other students to help determine how we should conduct testing, in-person hands-on learning and other daily issues that came up.” Read more about Jerris and his journey to medical school.

VCOM-Carolinas Students and Staff Showcase Creative Sides with Art Gallery at DuPre House

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) students and staff showcased their creative sides in the annual Art Gallery at the DuPre House on Friday, May 5, 2023. A variety of media were on display, from painting and photography to poetry. View more photos from the event on VCOM-Carolinas’ Facebook.

VCOM-Auburn Recognizes Class of 2023 Military Graduates 

Blaire Borisoff, DO, who is headed to Naval Medical Center San Diego, California, is ceremonially “pinned” with her officer's insignia by her parents at the Military Promotion Ceremony.

In conjunction with graduation week activities, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn) held a Military Promotion Ceremony on Friday, May 12, 2023. This event is conducted to recognize graduating students entering the U.S. Armed Forces. View more photos from the ceremony on VCOM-Auburn’s Facebook.

VCOM-Louisiana Students, Faculty Participate in White Coat Wednesday 

Photo: VCOM-Louisiana representatives joined Speaker of the House Clay Schexnayder in his office for a meeting during White Coat Wednesday.

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) students and faculty traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for White Coat Wednesday at the Louisiana State Capitol. In addition to providing a learning experience for the medical students about advocating for citizens’ health and the legislative process in Louisiana, the event also offered networking opportunities for both faculty and students with other physicians and legislators. 

During the event, VCOM-Louisiana students engaged with numerous legislators, including Speaker of the House Clay Schexnayder, Sen. Katrina Jackson, Rep. Francis Thompson, Rep. Pat Moore, Rep. Adrian Fisher and Rep. Michael Echols. Also attending the event was VCOM-Virginia alumna Kristin Lynch Grimes, DO, an internal medicine physician and pediatrician practicing in Louisiana.  Read more about the event.

VCOM-Virginia Students Participate in Career Day While on Rotation 

Photo: VCOM-Virginia third-year student Elizabeth McDonald shows a grade school student how a stethoscope works.

Elizabeth McDonald and Louisa Gamor are third-year Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) students doing their rotations with Riverside Health System in Newport News, Virginia. In late April, Yates Elementary School invited them—along with Kimberly Wilson, VCOM’s Eastern Virginia site coordinator—to participate in the school's inaugural career day. They met a few hundred enthusiastic students from 3rd to 5th grades. They showed the students a real doctor's bag and how to give a (pretend) shot, take blood pressure, measure their height and listen to their heartbeat. The kids also got to dress up like a surgeon! View more photos from the event on VCOM-Virginia’s Facebook.