Students Volunteer at the Chicago Marathon, Host Medical Trick-or-Treat, Help Their Neighbors After Hurricane Helene and More
Published October 30, 2024
ICOM Hosts Medical Trick-or-Treat
Photo: Aspynn Owsley, OMS II and co-chair of the Pediatrics Club, conducts an exam on a pediatric patient.
Pediatric volunteers ranging from infants to adolescents visited the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) to trick-or-treat and participate in a non-invasive examination. Organized by ICOM's Pediatrics Club, Student Doctors practiced listening to the heart and lungs, checking reflexes and conducting an abdominal exam. Watch the local news coverage from Idaho News 6.
West Virginia Governor Justice Signs Legislation Providing $13.6 Million for WVSOM
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) celebrated a state appropriation of $13.6 million that will help the school with deferred maintenance issues on its main campus in Lewisburg, parts of which were constructed in 1922 when it housed the Greenbrier Military School.
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, who lives near WVSOM, visited the school to sign the legislation. WVSOM is a public school, and its buildings are owned by the state of West Virginia. WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, PhD, welcomed the governor and guests to the signing ceremony.
“We are honored to have Governor Jim Justice here to celebrate the signing of legislation providing the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine with $13.6 million in deferred maintenance funding. Governor Justice has been an incredible champion of WVSOM and a great neighbor,” Dr. Nemitz said. Read more about how the funding will maintain WVSOM as a leader in medical student enrollment.
DMUCOM Student Completes CDC Internship on Maternal Health and Climate Change
Rachel Mansk, a student at the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMUCOM), recently completed a remote, eight-week research internship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The project, offered through DMU’s Department of Global Health, centered on understanding the effects of climate change on maternal health outcomes.
“I have always been interested in understanding the female reproductive health system and how it is influenced by the environment and policy,” Rachel says. “I decided to take this idea and make it the focus of my research internship.” Read more about her contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals through her CDC research.
Learning Module from UNTHSC-TCOM Graduate Is Drawn from the Heart
At 20 weeks, a mother is roughly halfway through her pregnancy. Most anatomy sonograms show parents their baby’s features such as a nose and fingers, and whether it’s a boy or a girl. For Greg Carter, DO, a 2024 graduate of the University of North Texas Health Science Center-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC-TCOM), and his wife, that sonogram showed something terrifying, their baby had a congenital heart defect. Dr. Carter and his wife were stunned. Read more about how Dr. Carter’s talent for drawing helped him understand his daughter’s condition and educate his students.
Sports Medicine and Emergency Medicine Clubs Volunteer at the Chicago Marathon
Photo (left to right): second-year medical students Kristine Flanagan, Elizabeth Boyer, Juliet Shelton and Eriq Gasse.
The Midwestern University Sports Medicine Club and Emergency Medicine Club volunteered at the Chicago Marathon in a collaborative effort to assist medical personnel, supplement classroom knowledge with real-world experience and gain insight into the experience of medical professionals during a sporting event.
Second-year Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) medical student and Sports Medicine Club President Alice Li said, “We were placed at the spotter towers that gave us a view of the crowd and runners coming. Most of us were stationed after the finish line in case someone was in distress. We would spot them and notify a nearby triage team.” She shared that if they observed incidents such as cramps, pulled muscles, dehydration or vomiting following the race, then they notified the appropriate personnel. She also said their participation in the Chicago Marathon prepared students to recognize when someone is in distress. Read more about how the students put their skills into action at the Chicago Marathon.
VCOM-Carolinas Students Help Neighbors in Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
When Hurricane Helene hit Spartanburg, South Carolina, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) students, including Olivia McLean, stepped up in a major way. Olivia and her husband Sam joined their neighbors, Michael and Ellen Strickland, who lost nearly everything to the floodwaters. With the help of 30 VCOM-Carolinas students, they demolished walls, salvaged belongings and supported other neighbors on their street in recovery efforts.
Olivia shared, “I’ve never been prouder to be part of a community than I have this past week. It has been emotionally and physically exhausting, but having VCOM classmates show up ready and willing to work gave everyone the strength to continue.” Read more stories like this on VCOM-Carolias’ Facebook.
Celebrating Diversity at VCOM-Virginia’s Multicultural Showcase
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) students came together for the annual Multicultural Showcase and potluck, sharing their cultural heritages with the extended VCOM-Virginia family. The event featured representatives from Sudan, Ghana, Colombia, Pakistan, India, China, Ireland, Canada, the United States and more, who joyfully shared traditions and stories from their homelands. The showcase highlighted that, despite our differences, we share a common humanity. Throughout the evening, the significance of such events and ongoing diversity training was emphasized, as they help cultivate empathy and cultural competence in the next generation of physicians. View more photos from the event on VCOM-Virginia’s Facebook.