Students Prepare for a Wilderness Adventure 5K Race, Host Bone Marrow Drive and More

A Championship Pedigree Prepared UNTHSC-TCOM Student for Medical School

It was practice two times a day, six days a week, totaling more than 20 hours a week, while also balancing a full-time load of pre-med classes and studying, that was the level of preparation and commitment it took Savannah Foster to be a part of the powerhouse rowing team at The University of Texas at Austin.

Her commitment as a Division I athlete at the highest level has prepared Savannah for her lifelong dream of becoming a physician as a first-year student at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC-TCOM). She, along with 240 other medical students, will receive their first White Coat at a celebration at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum on Friday. Read more about Savannah’s introduction to osteopathic medicine and journey to medical school.

VCOM-Louisiana Students Participate in a Splinting Workshop in Preparation for BAYOU WARS

Photo: Macey Downhour '28 practices stabilizing and applying a splint to classmate Kayla Griffith '28.

Recently the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) student chapter of the Student American Academy of Osteopathy (SAAO) hosted a faculty-led hands-on splinting workshop. The students practiced splinting broken bones in emergency wilderness scenarios, gearing up for BAYOU WARS—a Wilderness Adventure 5K Race featuring medical emergency challenges. View more photos from the event on VCOM-Louisiana’s Facebook.

WVSOM Emergency Medicine Physician to Deliver Keynote Speech at White Coat Ceremony

The newest group of students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) will receive their white coats during a ceremony that officially recognizes them as student doctors.

The keynote speaker will be Miles Medina, DO, a WVSOM alumnus who works for Team Health at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge, Georgia, where he is associate medical director of the emergency department and clinical director of the observation unit. Read more about Dr. Medina and his leadership at WVSOM.

VCOM-Virginia Students Advocate for Bone Marrow Donation

In August, students from the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) hosted an on-campus registry recruitment for the NMDP, formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program. The successful drive contributed more than 80 samples to the national registry, and the students are committed to continuing their bone marrow donation awareness campaign throughout the year.

Because of the genetic complexity of matching donors to patients, it could be several months or many years before a donation is matched to a patient. If a patient match is found for a donor in the registry, further testing is done and, based on specific needs, either bone marrow or cells are collected from a blood donation. To learn more about the donation process and organizing a registry drive in your community, visit https://bethematch.org/.