Students Honor Body Donors, Promote Exercise Wellness, Travel for Medical Outreach and More

PCOM Georgia DO Students Host Body Donor Memorial Service to Honor Loved Ones

“We’ve decided to donate our bodies to science, and we hope you’ll make sure of it,” Chuck Dorsey’s parents announced one day.

Chuck was surprised to learn that his parents had been contemplating body donation at all. “I had no idea they had even considered something different than the conventional or traditional path like a funeral or a burial,” he said. “When they told me, I was very proud of them and for them.”

When asked about their decision, his mother, Cornelia “Corny” Graham Dorsey, and father, Charles “Charlie” Ray Dorsey, posed another question: “If our bodies could help others to research and learn … then why not?”

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus (PCOM Georgia) Body Donor Program is an anatomical donation program that provides human remains for medical students to study anatomy and pathology, advancing education for future physicians and healthcare providers.

Read more about the memorial service honoring loved ones through body donation.

ICOM Celebrates ‘Exercise Is Medicine Month’ This April

Photo: The ICOM Exercise Is Medicine Team including (L-R) Cameron Botten, OMS II; Sarah Davis, DO; Katherine Osborne, OMS II; and Ron Garner, PhD.

The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) is proud to announce the official designation of April as Exercise Is Medicine Month, reinforcing the college’s commitment to whole-person wellness and preventive care.

For nearly five years, ICOM has been recognized by the American College of Sports Medicine as an Exercise Is Medicine On Campus institution. This national recognition highlights ICOM’s ongoing dedication to integrating physical activity into healthcare education and practice—an approach that aligns closely with the core principles of osteopathic medicine.

Read more about ICOM’s Exercise Is Medicine Month initiatives and impact.

VCOM-Carolinas Holds Accepted Students Day Event

On April 11, 2026, Accepted Students Day at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) gave prospective students an inside look at the journey ahead—connecting with faculty, hearing from current students and exploring labs, simulation spaces and campus life firsthand.

View more photos from Accepted Students Day on VCOM-Carolinas’ Facebook.

VCOM-Louisiana Pre-SOMA Inspires Future Healthcare Leaders in Northeast Louisiana

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) student organizations continue to expand their influence beyond campus, reaching into communities across Northeast Louisiana to motivate the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through Level Up: Life, Legacy & Leadership, a career-oriented outreach program led by VCOM-Louisiana’s Pre-SOMA chapter, osteopathic medical students are helping high school students envision careers in healthcare and understand the steps to get there.

The Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) is a nationwide organization that supports osteopathic medical students through advocacy, leadership development and community service. Pre-SOMA serves as its outreach division for preclinical and premedical students, focusing on early exposure to osteopathic medicine and healthcare careers for students who might not otherwise have access to these opportunities.

Read more about VCOM-Louisiana’s Pre-SOMA outreach program and its impact on students.

AOF Grant Supports UNT Health – TCOM Students in Humanitarian Medical Outreach Trip to the Philippines

A humanitarian medical trip of a lifetime to the Philippines for students at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNT Health – TCOM) was made possible by a grant from the American Osteopathic Foundation. In January 2026, UNT Health – TCOM students Ananya Desai, Brittany Uebbing and Maggie Yip traveled to the province of Bohol, accompanied by Thomas Shima, DO, to provide vital medical care to residents and nearby islands.

The students were awarded the AOF’s International Medical Outreach Travel Grant, which offers travel stipends to osteopathic medical students and residents who deliver medical services internationally in underserved, underdeveloped or disaster-stricken areas. This grant, available for international outreach trips through 2027, is funded by the Rossnick Family Fund, established in honor of Joni B. Rossnick, DO.

Read more about the UNT Health – TCOM students’ humanitarian outreach trip and grant support.

Social Media Medical Influencer Named WVSOM Graduation Keynote Speaker

An osteopathic physician who has millions of followers on social media platforms will return to his West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) alma mater.

WVSOM will welcome Adam Goodcoff, DO, as keynote speaker during the school’s 49th annual Commencement Ceremony celebrating its medical students. The ceremony will take place May 1, 2026.

He is an emergency medicine physician, entrepreneur and nationally recognized leader in healthcare education and digital innovation. Dr. Goodcoff is chief medical officer of HealthCentral, a healthcare experience company focused on creating impactful content for patients and healthcare providers.

Read more about WVSOM’s commencement speaker and his career in digital health.

Study Confirms Medical Students Face Shortcomings in Obesity Education

Photo: Kim Pfotenhauer, DO, assistant dean for Clerkship Education and associate professor of Family Medicine at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, is part of a research team that recently published their initial findings on obesity education in medical schools in the Medical Science Educator. Photos by Kyle Wilson, MSUCOM.

Results of a new study that examined curricula and surveyed students at 10 medical schools—including the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM)—found that medical students need improved obesity education to meet the complex needs of patients.

Kim Pfotenhauer, DO, assistant dean for Clerkship Education and associate professor of Family Medicine at MSUCOM, is part of a research team examining both the shortcomings and interventions needed to address obesity education as part of an ongoing long-term project.

Their initial findings have been published in Medical Science Educator, “Uncovering Gaps in Obesity Medicine Competencies: Insights from Ten U.S. Medical Schools.”

Read more about the study on obesity education gaps in medical training.