Home / News & Research / News Detail

Students Pursue Surgical Training, Advance Parkinson’s Research, Debunk Medical School Myths and More

Published July 08, 2026

Campus Roundup Inside OME

PCOM Residency Graduate Profile: Arielle Worth, DO

Two medical residents in white coats stand together outside a hospital entrance on the PCOM campus.

For Arielle Worth, MS/Biomed ’15, DO ’21, (pictured left) wearing a white coat has been a dream inspired by her pediatrician. But personal experiences compelled her to execute that vision.

The loss of her father during college and her own journey living with ulcerative colitis solidified her decision to attend Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)’s DO program and enter PCOM’s residency in general surgery. Both experiences deepened her understanding of the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care.

“Surgery became the perfect combination of science, technical skill, teamwork and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives during some of their most vulnerable moments,” Dr. Worth said.

CCOM Student Co-Authors Parkinson’s Disease Research Published in npj Digital Medicine

A medical student stands beside a research poster on the early detection of Parkinson's disease using iPad-based eye tracking during a scientific conference.

Photo: Erin Zou (CCOM ’27) presents research on detecting and monitoring Parkinson’s disease using an eye-tracking system at Midwestern University’s Kenneth A. Suarez Research Day on the Downers Grove Campus.

A Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) student is a co-author on a study published in npj Digital Medicine, a Nature Portfolio journal, that evaluates an iPad-based eye-tracking system designed to improve the detection and monitoring of Parkinson’s disease. Erin Zou (CCOM ’27) contributed to patient recruitment, data collection and evaluation of the deep-learning technology as part of an interdisciplinary research team at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“These results are exciting because eye movement is a highly sensitive motor function, and subtle abnormalities may reveal early-stage neurological impairments in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders,” Erin said. “The iPad-based approach is particularly promising because of its scalability and cost-efficiency, which could help expand access to screening.”

The publication highlights the growing role of osteopathic medical students in advancing clinical research while gaining hands-on experience in patient-centered investigation.

Robert C. Byrd Clinic Becomes WVSOM Health on July 1, 2026

Two leaders shake hands beside a new directional sign inside a WVSOM Health facility during a ribbon-cutting or dedication event.

The Robert C. Byrd Clinic, located on the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) campus, became WVSOM Health on July 1, 2026.

Discussions about a comprehensive rebranding initiative to more clearly align the clinic with WVSOM’s academic mission and to solidify the clinic’s central role as the institution’s primary clinical training site took place in January 2026. The WVSOM Board of Governors approved the implementation plan to restructure the Robert C. Byrd Clinic at its March 27, 2026, meeting.

“The transition of the Robert C. Byrd Clinic to WVSOM Health is a milestone in the histories of both institutions,” said WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, PhD. “The restructuring and rebranding of the clinic will better align the missions of both organizations to enhance patient care and education of WVSOM medical students. I look forward to a new era of healthcare in the Greenbrier Valley.”

Read more about the Robert C. Byrd Clinic becoming WVSOM Health.

NYITCOM’s ‘The Scope’ Episode 52: Debunking Myths About Medical School

Are the rumors about medical school actually true? In this episode of The Scope Podcast, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) Student Government Association (SGA) leaders Connie Rim, second-year medical student and incoming SGA president, and Alessandro Mercado, third-year medical student and SGA president, tackle some of the biggest myths surrounding the medical school experience—from board prep and grind culture to personal-life balance and the value of preclinical grades. Whether you’re a current medical student, an aspiring one or just curious about life inside medical school, this candid conversation is packed with real insight and a few surprising takes.

Read more and listen to NYITCOM students debunk myths about medical school.

A graduate in academic regalia poses with a faculty member while holding a diploma during a commencement ceremony.

KCU-COM Alumnus James MacKenzie, DO, Leads Illinois State Medical Board

During his time at Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM), James MacKenzie, DO, began defining the kind of physician he wanted to become—one focused not just on clinical skill, but on understanding his patients. That perspective, however, took hold long before medical school and much closer to home.

Ask him where his career began, and he won’t mention medical school or residency. “My whole story starts with my dad,” he said. He grew up watching his father practice medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Ronald MacKenzie, DO, graduated from KCU-COM in 1967, when it was still known as Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine. He went on to become the first osteopathic physician appointed to the Mayo Clinic staff. The elder Dr. MacKenzie set the example his son would later follow as a member of the KCU-COM Class of 2001.