Students Earn Public Health Honor, Lead Rural Outreach, Compete in a Boat Festival and More

BCOM’s ‘The D.O. Pulse’ Highlights AACOM’s Educating Leaders Conference

In this episode of “The D.O. Pulse”, we take you inside AACOM’s Educating Leaders Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring conversations with Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM)’s president, AACOM’s president, the national Student Doctor of the Year and a Burrell College alumna.

Listen to The D.O. Pulse episode.

UNT Health – TCOM Student Emma Brilleslyper Honored with 2026 Excellence in Public Health Award

Emma Brilleslyper, a dual-degree student at UNT Health Fort Worth, has been selected as the 2026 Excellence in Public Health Award winner by the U.S. Public Health Service Physician Professional Advisory Committee. Emma is set to graduate in May 2026 from UNT Health Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNT Health – TCOM) with a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree and from the College of Public Health with a master of public health.

Read more about Emma’s achievement and academic journey.

VCOM-Louisiana Pacemakers Win Team Spirit Award at Community Dragon Boat Festival

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana)’s Pacemakers Team paddled with purpose at the 10th Annual Children’s Coalition Dragon Boat Festival, earning the Team Spirit Parade Award. Students, faculty and staff volunteered throughout the event, provided osteopathic manipulative treatment to rowers and supported the day’s festivities. Proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and its programs serving families across the region. Through events like this, VCOM-Louisiana students gain meaningful opportunities to engage with the community, encourage healthy living and serve beyond the classroom.

View more photos from the event on VCOM-Louisiana’s Facebook.

VCOM-Carolinas Hosts Food and Nutrition as Medicine End-of-Year Event

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) held its Food and Nutrition as Medicine End-of-Year Event on April 20, 2026. Second-year students showcased the skills they learned in the elective by preparing a wide selection of nutritious and delicious foods for the event.

View more photos from the event on VCOM-Carolinas’ Facebook.

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Generates Nearly $300M in Annual Economic Impact in Georgia

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia and South Georgia Campuses (PCOM Georgia and South Georgia) have contributed approximately $292.6 million in direct economic impact in Georgia in 2025, according to a recent report. Boosting business activity, job creation and state and local tax revenues across the state, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia are driving forces in medical education in the state, supporting more than 2,100 jobs and generating more than $14 million in tax revenue statewide.

The independent analysis, conducted by the consulting firm Tripp Umbach, measured the growth driven by PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia’s teaching, research, workforce development, community partnerships and outreach programs across the state.

“This report highlights the results of more than two decades of PCOM’s dedicated investments in Suwanee and Moultrie,” said Jay S. Feldstein, DO, president and CEO of PCOM.

Read more about PCOM’s economic impact across Georgia.

Rocky Vista University Students Lead Rural Roots Program to Expand Healthcare Career Awareness

As an institution dedicated to serving rural and underserved communities, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM) is proud to highlight the student-led initiatives to make that mission tangible. This post discusses Rural Roots with leaders Jessica Craig and Allie Hernandez, who explain how their program is opening doors for rural high school students across Colorado.

Growing up in a rural area, Jessica had a narrow picture of what a healthcare career could look like: you either became a nurse or a doctor. That limited view is something both leaders have encountered again and again in the rural high schools they visit through Rural Roots, a program started by DO students in 2023 to expose rural high school students to the full spectrum of healthcare career opportunities.

Read more about RVU’s Rural Roots program and its impact.

VCOM Faculty and Students Conduct Pediatric Nutrition Research in Ghana

Photo: VCOM-Virginia student Lea Lenker leads a nutrition discussion with Ghanaian school children.

Recently, Amy Hicks, PhD (VCOM-Carolinas), Bernard Kadio, MD, PhD, and Jess Nicholson, MAT, (VCOM-Virginia) led VCOM medical students to Cape Coast, Ghana, for a child nutrition population health research project in partnership with the University of Cape Coast and supported by a VCOM REAP grant.

The team collected data from more than 700 children across 17 schools, measuring growth and testing digital tools to assess nutrition in real time. This work reflects VCOM’s commitment to global collaboration, underserved communities and the advancement of pediatric nutrition research.