You Have a Lot to Gain by Attending a Medical School Expo—Here’s What One Student Learned First-Hand

Regardless of where you are in your journey toward medical school, attending an expo provides you with invaluable opportunities. You’ll hear from current physicians and students, meet with admissions representatives, and really get an inside look at the profession you’re about to join. Adam Khan, a senior at Kennesaw State University, attended the Choose DO Medical School Expo on Georgia Tech's campus in November and came out with a greater understanding of what it means to be a DO. Here’s what he said about his experience:

"I first heard about osteopathic medicine through a family friend in the DO program at the Georgia Campus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. At the time, I was not immediately drawn to it. I felt I wasn’t given enough information about what it meant to practice osteopathic medicine; only some of the perks of their program."

"That was my most valuable takeaway from the Choose DO Medical School Expo—to finally understand what it means to become an osteopathic physician. I came to realize that in addition to learning how to perform Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) on patients, becoming a DO involves learning how to take care of a patient using a holistic approach."

"My favorite part of the Choose DO Expo, though, was being able to meet actual osteopathic physicians who were willing to answer my questions. I was hesitant at first, because I did not know anyone, and didn’t want to embarrass myself by asking an unintelligent question. However, once I started talking to the other students and medical professionals, I realized that everyone has their own journey to becoming an osteopathic physician, and all of the physicians were more than willing to help out because they were once in my shoes!" 

"I would highly recommend attending a Choose DO event because it gives a glimpse of what it truly is like to be in the medical field."

"Throughout my prior experiences in the field, I had never seen a community so strongly impacted and supported by the diversity of its members. Additionally, this type of event provides the opportunity to become familiar with dozens of osteopathic medical schools, and to make connections with other people on a similar path as you. Overall, all of these aspects were extremely beneficial and personally encouraging." 

"After attending the Choose DO event, I now understand that the goal of osteopathic medicine is to achieve a high level of wellness for the patient by focusing on health education, injury prevention, and disease prevention. Additionally, when I went to Baltimore, Maryland to attend the Annual OMED Pre-SOMA event, I saw how OMM is used only by osteopathic physicians."

"I have always enjoyed doing hands-on work, and I cannot see a better way to incorporate it into my work as a physician. Most importantly, I look forward to treating my patients with a holistic approach, rather than just treating their symptoms. I am interested in osteopathic medicine for all of these reasons, as well as the fact that I believe that it is the best way to treat a patient—and I have seen firsthand how effective it can be."