Students Shave Their Heads for Charity, Share Their Residency Plans and More

Midwestern University Students, Faculty Participate in Annual St. Baldrick’s Event

Photo: Ravi Amin (CCOM ’26) and Harrison Quirke (CCOM ’26) get their heads shaved in support of raising awareness of pediatric cancer.

Midwestern University’s Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) St. Baldrick’s Shave for Change was held as a part of Midwestern University’s commitment to community service. Faculty and students participated in the event, and a few shaved their heads to raise awareness for pediatric cancer and support cancer research. Around $30,000 was raised for the cause.

From the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, students Ravi Amin (CCOM ’26) and Harrison Quirke (CCOM ’26) were among the participants who shaved their heads for the cause. About 54 people participated in the event held at Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant in Downers Grove. Read more about the event and hear from the SOMA student president.

Beyond the Books: Mentorship Program Connects High School Students to Health Professions

Nearly every Thursday for the last six months, Peter Bidey, DO ‘08, MSEd, dean of the osteopathic medical program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), has had a weekly ritual.

He starts the day with early morning coffee and breakfast in the PCOM cafeteria before making his way across campus to the Hassman Family Medical Center on City Avenue.

Included in those breakfasts and usually not far behind on his trek to the healthcare center: two or three eager high school students, blue and red shields emblazoned on their chests, who will spend the day following Bidey as he meets with patients, engages with medical students and leads a tour of PCOM’s clinical learning spaces, including the Saltzburg Clinical Learning & Assessment Center. Read more about the program and hear from students who have shadowed Dr. Bidey.

Empowering Diversity: Insights from Black Physicians

As part of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn)’s Black History Month events, the Student National Medical Association hosted a physician panel featuring black physicians from various specialties. The physicians discussed their journeys to medicine and experiences as minorities in the field as well as offering tips for residency. The panel facilitated culturally sensitive discussions aimed at nurturing community-focused medical students who aspire to serve medically underserved communities. View more photos on VCOM-Auburn’s Facebook.

WVSOM Students Achieve 100 Percent Residency Placement Rate

Seven weeks before their graduation ceremony, fourth-year students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) learned where they will begin their medical careers after years of hard work in medical school. The Class of 2024 attained a perfect residency placement rate, with 188 students receiving spots in residency programs.

Linda Boyd, DO, the school’s chief academic officer, praised students and their faculty and staff career advisors for their work in reaching the 100 percent residency placement.

“Congratulations, you did it. This is what you’ve all worked so hard for,” she told the class. “Not only did we receive a 100 percent residency placement rate, but we did so in highly prestigious specialties.”

Collaborative VCOM-Virginia and Virginia Tech Research Projects to Study Low Back Pain

Photo: Dr. Al Kozar reviews an ultrasound of the TLF.

Low back pain is a condition that affects millions of people each year. Al Kozar, DO, a researcher and professor at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) is collaborating with Vincent Wang, PhD, director of Virginia Tech’s Orthopedic Mechanobiology Laboratory, on two research projects to better understand the causes of back pain and how to treat it more effectively.

The first project will take 24 months and is being funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and will enable the teams to study the effectiveness of a novel treatment called hydrodissection, which involves using ultrasound guidance to apply a dextrose solution to the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) to separate its tissue layers and restore any glide restriction that might be contributing to causing a patient’s pain. Additional funding from the American Osteopathic Association will enable an 18-month study on how osteopathic manipulative treatments (OMT) can do essentially the same thing—relieve the restriction in the TLF. Read more about the study’s scope and how Dr. Kozar hopes to highlight OMT.

LMU-DCOM Medical Students Celebrate 2024 Match Day

Photo: group of LMU-DCOM Class of 2024 students at the 2024 match party celebration. 

This year, Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) placed 96.8 percent of its graduating class into postgraduate training programs. Approximately 24 percent of the graduating class placed into programs within the Appalachian region and 14 percent within the State of Tennessee.

“Match Day is the culmination of years of hard work and fortitude,” said Christopher Loyke, DO, dean and chief academic officer of LMU-DCOM. “It not only marks the end of their undergraduate training, but it also marks the beginning of their training as osteopathic physicians. LMU-DCOM administration, faculty and staff could not be prouder of the class of 2024.” Read more about LMU-DCOM’s Match Day and what specialties the students will be pursuing.