Students Assist Louisiana Marathon, Expand a Medical Spanish Course Nationwide, Improve Phone Habits and More

TUCOM DOs Mark 20 Years of Successes

Walter Hartwig, PhD, a longtime professor at the Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUCOM) and director of enrollment management and student success, says this was not only a pioneering class willing to take on the birth of a new campus from within a renovated U.S. Navy facility, but included "an extraordinary collection of visionary and talented osteopathic student-physicians."

"Just from within that one class we find inspiration, role models, community pillars and thought leaders in every direction," Dr. Hartwig says. Read more about the 2023 class and hear from alumni.

ATSU-KCOM Student Finds Close Community Amongst Fellow Students in Kirksville

A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) student Hunter Katherine Gentry, OMS II, knew the founding school of osteopathic medicine was the right choice for her when she visited the Kirksville, Missouri, campus on her interview day.

“My interview was unforgettably warm,” Gentry said. “The staff I spoke with and the ambassadors I met were welcoming and genuine. I felt like the school would offer me support and really cared about my success.”

Gentry was so inspired by the students she met that she decided to become a student ambassador herself. Read more about Gentry’s leadership on campus and future aspirations.

VCOM-Louisiana Students Assist at Louisiana Marathon

Photo: Members of the student chapter of AOASM at VCOM-Louisiana assisted runners in the medical tent and at the finish line during the Louisiana Marathon.

The student chapter of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine (AOASM) at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) assisted at the Louisiana Marathon in January 2024, alongside others from the Baton Rouge General Sports Medicine Fellowship, LSU-Lafayette Sports Medicine Fellowship and Action Medical Consultants Athletic Trainers and Interns. Students assisted runners at the main medical tent and at the finish line, receiving participants who needed medical attention. View more photos on VCOM-Louisiana’s  Facebook.

ATSU-SOMA Alumna and Board of Trustees Member Shares Her Passions, Goals and More

When Danielle Barnett-Trapp, DO ’11, was asked to join the ATSU Board of Trustees in 2021, she jumped at the opportunity. A member of A.T. Still University-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)’s inaugural class, Dr. Barnett-Trapp, a clinical associate professor at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, is the first ATSU-SOMA graduate to serve on the board, something she views as an honor.

“I just love A.T. Still University,” she says. “I’m a huge believer in its approach and its mission. I feel like the school is really grounded in osteopathic principles and treating people as humans.” Read more about her journey to becoming an osteopathic physician and motivation to leave a lasting impact at ATSU-SOMA.

VCOM-Carolinas Hosts Ultrasound-Guided Paracentesis

Photo: VCOM-Carolinas students participated in an ultrasound-guided paracentesis.

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) hosted an ultrasound-guided paracentesis for second-year students on January 18, 2024. The procedure, performed on patients with ascites, a condition of abnormal swelling of the abdomen, utilizes a needle to remove ascitic fluid for analysis. Read more stories like this on VCOM-Carolinas’ Facebook.

Handheld Ultrasound Training Will Help Aspiring Doctors Expedite Diagnosis and Care

Point-of-care ultrasound technology has become more widely used among physicians at the bedsides of patients. Now, portable technology, often referred to as POCUS, is also common in medical education—with schools like the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) placing an emphasis on teaching future doctors its benefits.

“It’s important for medical school students to learn because it’s increasingly being adopted into credentialing guidelines for different specialties. Emergency medicine has been at the forefront of that realm, but other specialties are using point-of-care ultrasound more and more at the bedside,” said Michelle Clinton, MD, a WVSOM faculty member who was hired in August 2023 to oversee the school’s POCUS technology and education. Read more about how this technology is helping train future physicians.

UNTHSC/TCOM Students Teaching Medical Spanish to Students Nationwide

Photo (from left to right): UNTHSC/TCOM students Rocio Aguilar, Rebeca Bosques and Brenda Godoy.

Addressing perhaps one of the fastest-growing barriers to healthcare, medical students from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC/TCOM) are teaching medical Spanish to their classmates to help them in clinical encounters with their future patients.

UNTHSC/TCOM’s Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) members, led by President Brenda Godoy and Spanish Curriculum Directors Rocio Aguilar and Rebeca Bosques, taught three lessons to classmates in the fall semester. LMSA members have been teaching medical Spanish for a few semesters and word spread throughout the osteopathic community about the popularity of the classes. Read more about the initiative and how the students are expanding the program.

VCOM-Virginia Alumnus Recognized as Top Doctor in Virginia

Photo: Andrew Fintel, DO, VCOM-Virginia Class of 2010

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) alumnus and Salem, Virginia, physician Andrew Fintel, DO, has been recognized by his regional peers as one of Virginia’s Top Doctors of 2024. Fintel was chosen as one of the top 47 oncologists in Virginia, a state with 644 practicing oncologists. Read more about Dr. Fintel’s recognition.

Via Wellness Workshop on Phone Habits for Studying, Learning and Work Productivity at VCOM-Auburn

Photo: VCOM-Auburn students participated in a workshop earlier this month focused on productive phone habits.

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn) hosted a student-led Via Wellness Workshop in mid-January that demonstrated how individuals can identify and optimize their phone habits in a productive environment. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in an activity that focused on designing phone habits that facilitate studying, learning and work productivity. View more photos from the event on VCOM-Auburn’s Facebook.