Students Get a Lesson on Subterranean Rescue, Find New Ways to Care for Sleep Apnea, Help Design a Vertigo Monitoring Device and More
Published January 16, 2024
Campus Roundup Inside OME
UNTHSC/TCOM Set as Pilot Site for NBOME’s Core Competency Capstone
The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) has selected The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC/TCOM) as a pilot site for Phase 2 of their Core Competency Capstone for Osteopathic Medicine project. The project, known as C3DO, is studying the feasibility of on-campus standardized assessment of fundamental osteopathic clinical skills of osteopathic medical students.
“UNTHSC/TCOM and the Health Science Center are excited to partner with the NBOME on the Core Competency Capstone project,” said Ryan Seals, DO, senior associate dean for academic affairs. “It is important to develop assessments that help ensure that all DO graduates have the necessary physical and humanistic skills to be outstanding osteopathic physicians.” Read more about the C3DO project and UNTHSC/TCOM’s involvement.
CHSU-COM Medical Student Commissioned into Navy
Photo: Luis G. Bautista, MD, JD, adjunct assistant professor of primary care, and Peter Ciari, first-year CHSU-COM medical student
Peter Ciari, first-year medical student, was commissioned into the U.S. Navy on November 10, 2023, on the California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) campus.
Ciari elected to join the Navy through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), where he will complete his medical education at CHSU-COM and receive specialized training to prepare him to become an officer. The HPSP is one of the most comprehensive scholarships in the healthcare field, which pays tuition and living expenses for advanced medical degree programs in exchange for post-graduate military service.
Ciari will enter the Navy as an Ensign-1 or junior officer and will be promoted to Lieutenant when he completes medical school. Read more about Ciari’s commitment to his education and country.
PCOM South Georgia Medical Student Finds New Ways to Deal with Sleep Apnea
Neeti Shirke, a student physician at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine South Georgia Campus (PCOM South Georgia), conducted research investigating the factors associated with patients who attempted positive airway pressure therapy, including CPAP devices, after having an unsuccessful first attempt or multiple unsuccessful attempts. Read the story on WALB 10 News.
Midwestern University Launches First Generation Initiative, Honor Society
Photo: By the end of the event, the board was filled with stars depicting strengths of the first-generation experience.
One of the ways Midwestern University seeks to support students is through the First-Generation Initiative, where select first generation students will serve as peer mentors to other students sharing similar experiences. Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) student Caitlin Nicolai, a First-Generation Initiative mentor, shared, “I didn’t even know what the MCAT was or how to tackle the process. That’s why I’m a mentor in the first place. I can be a resource for people in my shoes.” Read more from the faculty and other mentors about the impact of the program.
Broussard, Polam Named NSU-KPCOM Student DOs of the Year
Third-year Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine students Danielle Broussard, RDN, LDN, and Sneha Polam were named Student DO of the Year at their respective campuses. Broussard was her peer’s choice at the Tampa Bay Regional Campus, while Polam was the selectee at the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. Read more stories like this on NSU-KPCOM’s Facebook.
Student-Run Free Clinic Bridges Gaps
Every Thursday at the Norman C. King South Vallejo Community Center, Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUCOM) student clinicians and faculty preceptors operate a free clinic. It’s a symbiotic scenario that allows hands on experience for student clinicians and free treatments for the public.
The Student-Run Free Clinic (SRFC) is run by dedicated faculty members like Melissa Pearce, DO, who has helped the clinic evolve into a multifaceted endeavor.
“We’ve built the SRFC to try and encompass all of the different programs at Touro,” says Pearce. “It’s still very centered in the college of osteopathic medicine but we’re really working to get even more faculty leadership from the college of pharmacy, college of education and health sciences, physician assistant and masters of public health program and our school of nursing to become more involved to incorporate their depth of experience.” Read more about the program and how it helps provide both clinical skills to students and community outreach.
KCU-COM Student Collaborates with Stanford University in Developing a Novel Device
Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM) third-year student Donald Keating pursued an intensive 10-week internship under the direction of clinician-scientists at Stanford University where he collaborated with a pioneering team to develop a novel vertigo monitor. Keating has crafted a user guide and questionnaire for patients participating in the clinical trial. Still under development, the wearable electronystagmography (ENG) will revolutionize how dizziness attacks are monitored, providing real-time data and facilitating faster diagnoses for those with recurrent dizziness. Learn more about Keating’s involvement in the creation and production of the wearable ENG.
ATSU-SOMA’s Dr. McFadden receives Women in Medicine Award
A.T. Still University-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)’s Erin McFadden, MD, clinical assistant professor and regional director of medical education for the Wright Center in Scranton, PA, has been awarded the 2023 Dr. Ann Preston Women in Medicine award by the Pennsylvania Eastern Region Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP).
The Dr. Ann Preston Women in Medicine award is awarded to an ACP chapter member who has demonstrated a commitment to promoting career success, leadership and overall quality of life for women in medicine, helping foster tomorrow’s women leaders in medicine. View the story.
VCOM-Virginia Students Get Rare Lesson in Subterranean Rescue
In December, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia)'s wilderness medicine organization led a caving event that allowed students to leave their books behind and have a unique winter adventure. The students visited a nearby cave system and received instruction on best practices for medical response to incidents involving people who become lost or injured inside a cave and require specialized technical resources to rescue them safely.
Led by VCOM-Virginia’s discipline chair for emergency medicine Alison LePera, DO, PhD, the students were granted access to the private New River cave to experience the unique aspects of the cave environment that require specialized rescue considerations and medical care. The cave, one of the longer and more geologically unusual caves in Virginia sits along the scenic New River and is a part of the New River Cave Nature Preserve in Giles County, VA. View more photos on VCOM-Virginia’s Facebook.
VCOM-Louisiana Students Participate in America Recycles Day
For Ouachita Green’s America Recycles Day, residents of Monroe, Louisiana, are invited to drop off any item for recycling. Members of the Volunteer Committee at the Edward Via College
of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) joined organizations and groups in the community during Ouachita Green’s America Recycles Day event. VCOM-Louisiana students staffed a variety of stations where they received incoming items
from the community and sorted them accordingly. View more photos on VCOM-Louisiana’s Facebook.