Students Volunteer at the Louisiana Marathon, Host Professionalism Week, Earn National Scholarships and More
Published January 28, 2026
Campus Roundup Inside OME
Students Build Career-Ready Skills During Professionalism Week
Photo: Midwestern University alumni returned to campus to share real-world advice and mentor current students during the Professionalism Week networking panel.
Midwestern University’s Student Senate hosted its annual Professionalism Week on the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) Downers Grove Campus in December 2025, offering students across all colleges a full slate of workshops, panels and networking opportunities designed to strengthen their professional readiness. The week emphasized practical career skills, personal development and the powerful role of alumni in supporting future healthcare professionals.
Student Senate Speaker Naomi Rajesh spearheaded the program, which offered a multifaceted look at professionalism. “After years of Professionalism Week being hybrid, I wanted to bring everything back in person and highlight different sides of professionalism in new ways,” she said. “Because mentorship is essential in the professional world, I brought in as many alumni as possible to help students start building real networks. My hope is that it becomes a tradition that grows bigger every year.”
Read more about Professionalism Week at the CCOM.
VCOM-Carolinas Celeste Prado Honored with National Hispanic Health Foundation Scholarship
First-year Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) student Celeste Prado was recently honored in Washington, DC, after receiving a National Hispanic Health Foundation Scholarship—an award recognizing future health professionals committed to improving Hispanic and underserved communities. Celeste described the moment as “immense pride and also disbelief,” adding that the recognition reminded her “how far my family and I have come.”
Celeste applied for the scholarship seeking connection with health professionals and public health leaders who share her goal of strengthening care for Hispanic communities. She said the award symbolizes far more than financial support: “It represents being seen, encouraged and believed in at a stage of my journey when that support means everything.”
Read more about Celeste’s scholarship and recognition.
VCOM-Louisiana Students Deliver Sports Medicine Care at Louisiana Marathon
The student chapter of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) assisted at the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, alongside teams from the Baton Rouge General Sports Medicine Fellowship, LSU-Lafayette Sports Medicine Fellowship and Action Medical Consultants, including athletic trainers and interns.
The Louisiana Marathon is a premier running festival held annually in the state’s capital. VCOM-Louisiana students and faculty supported runners at the main medical tent and along the finish line, providing care to participants who required medical attention.
View more photos from the Louisiana Marathon on VCOM-Louisiana’s Facebook.
William G. Anderson Lecture Series, Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey
The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM)’s annual Dr. William G. Anderson Lecture Series gives the community opportunities to interact with multicultural leaders from education, business, industry, entertainment and government. For 26 years, this series has featured living icons of the American civil rights movement and community change-makers. All activities are offered at no cost, thanks to the support of MSUCOM’s generous sponsors, and can be attended in person or virtually.
This year’s featured speakers include Jelani Cobb, PhD, dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University; Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; and Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway, Gee’s Bend Quilting Collective.
Read more about the William G. Anderson Lecture Series.
What Is Medical Student Syndrome and How Can You Combat It?
It could be a headache that suddenly feels serious, or a muscle twitch that sparks concern. For many medical students, learning about disease can make ordinary sensations feel alarming.
This experience, known as medical student syndrome, is a common phenomenon in which students in medical training begin to feel health anxiety, fearing they may have one of the illnesses they are studying. According to Peter Bidey, DO ’08, MSEd, FACOFP, dean of the osteopathic medicine program and chief academic officer at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), the syndrome reflects both the intensity of medical education and the power of new medical knowledge.
Read more about medical student syndrome and how to address it.
MSOM Faculty Serve as National Item Writers for the NBOME
The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) is proud to recognize its faculty serving as National Item Writers for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME). This national role helps shape the exams that future osteopathic physicians take nationwide.
This level of service reflects the strength of the MSOM faculty, the school’s commitment to rigorous, high-quality medical education and its mission to prepare physicians who will care for and serve communities.
View more photos from the event on MSOM’s Facebook.
From Student to Physician: Reflections on Residency, Resilience and Life After VCOM-Auburn
Taylor Bush, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn Campus) Class of 2025, is currently completing her internal medicine residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Campus in Huntsville, Alabama.
Drawn to the breadth, pace and flexibility of internal medicine, Dr. Bush credits VCOM-Auburn’s early clinical immersion with preparing her for the demands of residency. Her journey was marked by resilience, including returning to medical school after giving birth to twins during her third year and graduating on time—a milestone she finds deeply meaningful. She encourages current students to trust their training, embrace the transition to residency and take pride in the work that earned them the title of physician.
View more photos from Dr. Bush’s journey on VCOM-Auburn’s Facebook.