Students Showcase Medical Research, Share Personal Stories, Simulate Mass Casualty Events and More

LMU-DCOM Research Showcase Celebrates Student Research Excellence Across Three Campuses

Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) recently concluded its third annual Research Showcase, a three-day event highlighting the growing culture of scholarly activity and research collaboration across the LMU-DCOM community.

What began as a single-day event has expanded into a multi-campus showcase featuring oral and poster presentations from student doctors, faculty and researchers across LMU-DCOM's locations in Harrogate and Knoxville, Tennessee, and Orange Park, Florida. This year's showcase included more than 100 submissions spanning a wide range of medical and scientific disciplines, providing participants with an opportunity to share research, exchange ideas and foster new collaborations.

Read more about LMU-DCOM's third annual Research Showcase and the student research presented across its three campuses.

Two Members Join WVSOM Board of Governors

Two new members have joined the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) Board of Governors, the body that oversees the financial, business and educational policies under which the school operates.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey appointed David Rader to the board, replacing the departing Randall Belt, DO, and Bryn Hawbaker was elected student representative, replacing Jacob Bartlett.

Bryn Hawbaker, of WVSOM’s Class of 2028, was elected to the board as a student representative. She was president of WVSOM’s Student Government Association for the 2025-26 academic year. Bryn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science from High Point University in High Point, North Carolina.

Read more about WVSOM's two new Board of Governors members and their appointments.

VCOM-Virginia Recognizes Most Recent Student Military Commissioning

Ahead of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) Class of 2030 White Coat Ceremony, Jillian Gray (DO ’30) was sworn in as a U.S. Army officer by U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel Clark and U.S. Army SFC Avila Flores.

Jillian is among several VCOM-Virginia students participating in the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) annually. The scholarship provides financial support for medical education in exchange for a commitment to military service after graduation.

Available through branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy and Air Force, HPSP covers tuition and eligible educational expenses. The program allows students to pursue their medical degrees while preparing for careers as military physicians.

VCOM-Virginia is pleased to offer and help facilitate HPSP opportunities. These students share a commitment to serving both their country and their future patients and reflect the dedication of VCOM students pursuing meaningful careers in medicine and military service.

View more photos from Jillian's military commissioning on VCOM-Virginia's Facebook.

How One Mother Found Her Second Act in Medical School

For Vanessa Brown (DO ’29), becoming a physician was a dream she carried from childhood. But her path to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) wound through music, motherhood and a series of unexpected turns.

Vanessa's first career was in the music industry. A classically trained vocalist and music business major, she worked for independent record labels as an artist and repertoire executive and later as a marketing strategist. She imagined building a career in music, but after getting married and having her first child, she put her career on hold to focus on her growing family.

Read more about Vanessa's journey from the music industry and motherhood to pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a physician.

DMUCOM Students Share Personal Stories with Support from Compassionate Community Grant

Clinical rotations stretch medical students mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. From unexpected patient encounters to lessons learned by observing preceptors, each rotation shapes or refines the student's personalized approach to patient care.

“In the hectic flurry of rotations, I found the most fulfillment in listening to the stories of my patients,” says Subeksha Sharma, DO ’27. “This, more than anything else, is what motivated me to pursue medicine in the first place.”

Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences' College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMUCOM) behavioral health faculty knows there is power in students sharing their stories. They pursued and secured an AACOM grant to research how participation in compassion-focused storytelling affects a student's ability to reflect on their own practice and increase their overall level of compassion.

Read more about DMUCOM's AACOM Compassionate Community Grant and its research into how storytelling affects medical students' reflection and compassion.

Northbay Health and TUC Partner for Future Doctors

Northbay Health and Touro University California (TUC) have established a new academic affiliation that will strengthen Northbay Health's growing graduate medical education enterprise and help prepare the next generation of physicians and health professionals to serve the region.

Under the three-year agreement, TUC will serve as the academic affiliate of Northbay Health's residency programs. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing medical education, supporting faculty and resident development and improving health outcomes in the communities Northbay Health serves.

Read more about the academic affiliation between Northbay Health and TUC and its role in supporting residency training and medical education.

VCOM-Carolinas ACOEP Holds Simulated Mass Casualty Event

The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) student organization held a simulated "mass casualty" event on campus on October 7, 2026. First-year students acted as injured patients while second-year students triaged them.

View more photos from the simulated training event on VCOM-Carolinas' Facebook.

Heat, Hard Work and the Medications You Take

Farmers in Southwest Georgia are all too familiar with the unpredictability of weather and what it can mean for their crops and harvest. But how many are aware of the toll that heat and humidity can take on their bodies and the medications they rely on to manage chronic and everyday health conditions?

Matthew L. Holt, PharmD, BCPS, assistant professor of pharmacology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine South Georgia (PCOM South Georgia), has seen this firsthand, given his previous experience as a clinical pharmacist in a large family medicine clinic.

“My training has been in the Southeastern United States, where environmental factors, like the weather, must be considered when educating patients about their medications, proper storage, and how the elements can affect their bodies,” Dr. Holt said.

Read more about Dr. Holt's experience with environmental factors and how heat and humidity can affect patients and their medications.