AZCOM Hosts First Ultrafest, UNE COM Celebrates Intersex Awareness Day, and More in Campus Roundup

AZCOM Hosts First Arizona Ultrafest Event

On November 9, 2019, the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) hosted its first annual Arizona Ultrafest event. This day-long gathering of multidisciplinary medical faculty and students was designed to illustrate cutting-edge advancements in ultrasound technology in health care applications. The event was a huge success with over one hundred medical students, faculty, and community partners attending. Arizona Ultrafest 2019 included five morning workshops representing a diverse array of clinical applications of ultrasound, a keynote speaker, and a friendly ultrasound scanning competition between attendees. Attendees were briefed about the ongoing integration of ultrasound techniques and technology into AZCOM’s curriculum, as well as the expanding role that ultrasound plays in modern medicine.

The opportunity to work together with other colleges and community members in exchanging exciting ideas, all while promoting the value of ultrasound in point of care medicine provided the perfect fit for a beautiful, sunny Arizona day.

Ultrasound technology is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous, and in some cases required, diagnostic and procedural tool in primary and specialty care, to the point that it is sometimes referred to as “the new stethoscope.” AZCOM has developed new instructional resources integrating ultrasound into its curriculum, with the Class of 2021 being the first AZCOM cohort to have a full four-year ultrasound integration program. AZCOM has implemented ultrasound exercises and classes into preclinical courses, clinical rotations, and residency programs to better prepare students to employ this technology in the field.

ACOM Students Compete in Simulation Tournament in Preparation for National Simulation Competition

The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM)'s chapter of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is hosting the sixth annual ACOM Simulation Competition (SimComp). Teams of first- and second-year medical students will compete against each other in a race to save the patient. The champions will go on to represent ACOM at the national SimChallenge competition in Washington, DC during the 2020 AMSA National Conference.

SimComp is a simulation competition designed by ACOM to prepare students to compete in the national SimChallenge competition. Each team is presented with an emergent clinical scenario, which requires medical knowledge, clinical skills, team work, communication, and calm nerves to overcome the challenges. One ACOM team advances to the national competition each year. In 2017, a team of second-year ACOM students won the national SimChallenge event and represented the United States at the International SimChallenge in Paris, defeating the French team in the final round to become international champions. ACOM hopes to recapture the national title again this year, with this local tournament serving as an important step in that journey.

BCOM Raises $120,000 in Scholarships for Medical Student Veterans

On October 26, Las Cruces and the surrounding community came together in support of veterans. Hosted on National Day of the Deployed, the Friends of Military Veterans Scholarship Banquet is organized annually in support of scholarships for medical student veterans or dependents of a veteran.

More than 350 people attended this year’s banquet at the Las Cruces Convention Center, raising approximately $120,000 for students attending the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM).

During the event, six Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) students with military connections were recognized for their service and awarded scholarships from last year’s event proceeds. The 2019 Friends of Military Veterans Scholarship recipients are:

• Second-year medical student Logan Foster; served in the U.S. army.
• Third-year medical student Adam Haley; retired United States Marine Corp (USMC) gunnery sergeant
• Third-year medical student Noman Manzoor; served in the U.S. Army from 2003-2007.
• First-year medical student Duell Shaw; served in the U.S. Army.
• Third-year medical student Carla Tayes; served in the U.S. Air Force from 2005 to 2009

In addition to recognizing students, the event included an inspiring keynote speech by Major Al Calvillo. Major Calvillo is uniquely qualified as a combat medic and physician assistant and is a member of both the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and Army Ranger. He has served on multiple Combat Deployments and sensitive national security missions. Read more.

Des Moines University Research Symposium Celebrates 10th Anniversary

A record 600 attendees, 93 poster presentations, and six high-energy oral presentations made the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM) Research Symposium on December 5, 2019, truly worthy of its 10th anniversary milestone. Several DMU osteopathic medical students received awards for posters they co-authored in the following categories: anatomy/paleontology, Ken Oba, on the brain of the Siberian tiger; clinical practice, Samantha Tyler, on the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on pulmonary function in adults with asthma; education, Matthew Rusling, on medical student coping and performance; and public health, Neely Atamaniuk, and Alexander Johnson, on perceptions of breast development and breastfeeding among women living with polycystic ovary syndrome. Osteopathic medical student Richard Kline received an award for his oral presentation on shoulder muscle synergies during arm elevation between the frontal and sagittal planes. Read more.

ICOM Named Apple Distinguished School

The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) is pleased to announce that it has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2019-2022 for its unique implementation of Apple technology in creating a culture of engagement amongst the students, faculty and staff at Idaho’s first medical school.

Class of 2023 Raises More Than $9,000 for Men's Health

The Nova Southeastern Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-KPCOM) Class of 2023 at the Fort Lauderdale/Davie and Tampa Bay Regional campuses brought out their mustaches as they participated in the month-long November fundraising campaign.

Held every November, the organization that began in 2003 in Australia has become the leading charity for men’s health, with the goal of reducing the number of men dying prematurely by 25 percent by the year 2030. The Big Moustache on Campus competition aims to continue the efforts in the United States as college students participate in a fun and competitive way for the cause.

The first-year osteopathic medical students got involved as they took to social media, where they posted photos with grown-out or fake mustaches, followed with a caption that included statistics and facts covering the main issues affecting men, such as mental health, suicide prevention, and testicular and prostate cancer. Through social media, contests, and support from the NSU-KPCOM Student Government Association, the college raised $9,224, ranking 16 out of 733 university teams and first in Florida.

NYITCOM’s Baty Recognized as a “Community Star” in Conjunction with National Rural Health Day 2019

Tim Baty a fourth-year medical student at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), has been named Arkansas’ Community Star for National Rural Health Day, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) recently announced.

Having grown up in the small east Arkansas town of Widener, which boasts a population 300 residents whose median household income is $20,833, Baty witnessed the devastation that lack of access to care due to financial hardship causes. He painfully recalls watching members of his community suffer and lose their lives, including his father, who died at age 53 from colon cancer, because of their lack of access to health care or insurance. Those experiences have given him the courage and passion for pursuing a career in primary care to serve those living in rural Arkansas.

“It’s very humbling to be recognized, and I appreciate the Arkansas Office of Rural Health and Primary Care for nominating me,” Baty said. “I grew up an underserved, rural town and I want to return to serve that community. My goal is to make sure that unlike my experience, other families don't lose their loved ones too soon.”

According to NOSORH, Baty is the first medical student to be named a Community Star since the program’s inception in 2015.

OU-HCOM Student Published in Narrative Medicine Journal

Michael Arnold second-year osteopathic medical student at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM) at Cleveland, OH, recently had a poem published in Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine. The poem, titled “Chronic Black Excellence,” was sparked by a prompt during a session of the Open Book Project, a narrative medicine activity at the Heritage College. In Open Book students, faculty, and staff on all three campuses examine paintings, poems, short stories and other works of art and literature, then take part in discussions and reflective writing to strengthen their narrative medicine skills and explore issues of social justice and inclusion. He was among the first eight students to be enrolled in the new Transformative Care Continuum, an accelerated, competency-based curriculum path meant to prepare students for careers in family medicine, which launched last year at the Cleveland campus.

PCOM Partners with Girl Scouts to Educate Each Other

Recently, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Robert Berger Pediatric Society has been working with local Girl Scout Troop  57119 on a few mutually beneficial educational opportunities.

The first happened very recently on PCOM's campus; the scouts learned how to be Standardized Patients (SPs)—essentially, individuals who act like real patients—to help the Pediatrics Society better communicate with young patients who are often afraid of the doctor's office. It also provided the scouts with the opportunity to become more empowered patients at a young age, learning the best questions to ask a doctor.

The second happened earlier in the fall, when the Pediatrics Society helped the scouts earn their "First Aid" merit badges. The scouts made first-aid kits and learned to "Check, Call, Care" in the event of an emergency. The faculty liaison for the club, Erik Langenau, DO, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at PCOM and faculty liaison for the club, spearheaded these events and has also been very active with both the Boy and Girl Scouts. His children are members of local troops as well. Read more.

Authority Receives Regional ‘Deal of The Year’ Award For PCOM South Georgia

A partnership with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) to build PCOM South Georgia garnered the Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority a regional “Deal of the Year” award from the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) on November 18.

The award was presented to Daniel Dunn, past chair, Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority, and PCOM President Jay S. Feldstein, DO, along with a number of PCOM staff members and community members in attendance at GEDA’s annual awards luncheon.

In accepting the award, Dunn said, “Our region is known for its agriculture and every year billions of seeds are planted in the fertile ground around South Georgia. We watch these seeds take root and in a short time grow to produce the products which feed and clothe our nation.”

Comparing PCOM South Georgia to a seed, he said, “A seed has now been planted that has begun to grow, take root and will transform health care in not only Moultrie, but also the South Georgia region and the entire Southeastern United States.”

He thanked the many partners who made the award possible, including PCOM for “believing in the vision.” Read more.

Annual Program Brings Students and Community Together to Combat Diabetes

Diabetes causes more deaths every year in the U.S. than breast cancer and AIDS combined, and is ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. More than 30 million American adults have diabetes, and approximately a quarter of them don’t know they have it. In Yakima County alone, one in eleven people have diabetes, and one in three people are pre-diabetic.

Committed to addressing the issue head-on, a collection of first- and second-year PNWU osteopathic medical students gathered recently to undergo training for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Diabetes Prevention Program (DDP). The program is a partnership of public and private organizations working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

RVUCOM Hosts Pride Week

The first week of December was a colorful one on the Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM) Colorado campus. Students with the RVU chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) hosted Pride Week, a campaign that raised awareness of and support for the LGBTQ+ community. The campaign was also part of SNMA’s commitment to, every month, bring awareness to a different underserved or underrepresented community.

A subcommittee of first- and second-year student doctors within SNMA organized activities that celebrated the LGBTQ+ community in fun, interactive, and educational ways. Students hosted a “Don’t Table It, Let’s Talk About It” discussion complete with a raffle, pronoun buttons, cake, and other PRIDE swag. The week ended with students “showing their colors” and representing their PRIDE with a color of the flag that they identify with.

Pride Week served as a safe space for those in the community to feel represented, and it also encouraged the RVU community to be more comfortable talking and learning about people who identify with a different gender than their own. “We strongly believe that our biggest strength lies within our diversity and our differences,” said Elizabeth Kuge, second-year osteopathic medical student and President of the RVU SNMA chapter. “We can teach and learn from each other to become more culturally sensitive and culturally competent future physicians.”

Members of the SNMA PRIDE committee include: Elizabeth Kuge; Nia Acevedo, Arthur Armijo, Garrett Florey, Sara McCann, Zoe Roth, Nikki Snyder, Jack Strickland, Kaylyn White, and Florence Yip.

Hannah Dragomanovich Named TUCOM 2020 Student Doctor of the Year

Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUCOM) student Hannah Dragomanovich was selected for her commitment to community service through her advocacy work as a Jeremiah Fellow where she co-sponsored the now implemented Senate Bill 1143 hat limits solitary confinement time of juveniles. As Advocacy Chair for California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP), she co-authored the resolution “Improve Access to Healthcare for Formerly Incarcerated Persons."

Rare Birth Defect Won’t Deter UNTHSC-TCOM Student from Reaching Her Dream

One day last year, University of North Texas Health Sciences-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC-TCOM) student Taylor Orcutt joined other members of the Pediatric Club to administer eye screenings on children at Glen Park Elementary School.

Orcutt, whose left arm ends at the elbow because of a rare birth defect, has never let that stand in the way of what she wanted to do. Her good friend, second-year medical student Callie Nance, remembers the day at Glen Park well.

“The very first kid who walked in came up to her and said, ‘Hey, what happened to your arm?’ We all froze and didn’t know what to say,” Nance recalled. “Taylor handled it so well and just told the child that she was born with it. She was so genuine and connected with all of the kids that day, it was just no big deal with them at all.”

That’s the way Orcutt has approached her physical challenge all her life. She simply knows no other way of acting.

“It’s never been an issue,” said Orcutt, now in her second year at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at UNTHSC. “For me, it’s normal. My parents always encouraged me, and I grew up playing all kinds of sports. I’ve never had to change what I was doing because I learned things like everyone else.” Read more.

UNE COM Celebrates Intersex Awareness Day

In honor of Intersex Awareness Day on October 26, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) students advocated for the right for intersex people to choose and have agency over their own bodies. First-year students Shadia Kawkabani and Leah Steinberg provided education and encouragement to the UNE COM community to sign a petition supporting intersex rights.

 Student Doctor Kawkabani said she initially heard of the initiative through the WPATH Transgender Health Scholars Program, a course offered by the American Student Medical Association. Medical students across the country are asking the medical community to, "Stop performing medically unnecessary 'cosmetic' procedures on intersex children... Such surgeries should be delayed and only done with the full informed consent of the intersex patient" (Intersex Justice Project).

 The initiative supports the medical recommendations put forth by InterACT, the Intersex Justice Project, and AIS-DSD.

WVSOM Students Get New Computer Lab at Logan Regional

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) students will reap the benefits of a new computer lab at Logan Regional Medical Center.

The medical school and hospital worked together to finance the renovation of the hospital’s existing computer lab that is used by third- and fourth-year students primarily for testing. Cosmetic renovations included new flooring, painting, lighting and ceiling work. New conference tables, 15 computers and a 65-inch smart flat screen were also added.

Art Rubin, DO, WVSOM’s Assistant Dean for the Statewide Campus system’s South Central Region, said the lab renovation is important for the education of WVSOM’s students. The original intent for incorporating the technological upgrades was also in part to provide a virtual environment for students in that hospital. Students used to drive to Charleston, where the region’s base site is located, for certain educational programs.

At WVSOM, a student’s first two years of a four-year program are spent on campus in Lewisburg, WV. However, the latter two years are spent on rotations in clinics and hospitals throughout WVSOM’s Statewide Campus.

WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, PhD, said the osteopathic school appreciates its relationship with Logan Regional Medical Center.

“This is a relationship where they provide quality training for our students who have stayed in the area and served the area as physicians,” he told students in attendance. “No matter where you end up practicing, it’s about giving back to the community, the people and patients. We value what the hospital has done here for the community and we appreciate that you are also contributing to the health care needs of the community.”