Students Volunteer at American Diabetes Association Camp, Host a Baseball Game for Children with Special Needs, Present Research to Improve Community Health and More

VCOM-Louisiana ACOP and Dixie Diehards Hit a Home Run Hosting Events for Special Needs Kids

Photo: VCOM-Louisiana ACOP members cheer on special needs kids and young adults as they play baseball with the Dixie Diehards

Medical students who are members of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) partnered with the Dixie Diehards baseball team to provide volunteers for their games this season. Dixie Diehards is an organization that allows special needs children and young adults the chance to play baseball in a safe and supportive environment.

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) students serve as “buddies” with the players by helping them hit the ball, run the bases, catch the ball and ensure they do not get injured. They also cheered and supported the players from the stands and made signs for them as a token of a great season. View more photos from the event on VCOM-Louisiana’s Facebook.

ICOM Accepted into Teaching Kitchen Collaborative

Photo: Catalina O'Toole, OMS III, chops vegetables during a culinary medicine class at ICOM.

The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) is proud to announce that it has been accepted into the prestigious Teaching Kitchen Collaborative (TKC), a leading network of educational, research and community organizations with teaching kitchens aimed at improving personal and public health. ICOM is the first TKC member representing both Idaho and osteopathic medical education.

ICOM joins organizations including Google, Compass Group and Cleveland Clinic, leading the teaching kitchen movement to improve health outcomes in the United States and around the world. Improving health with food is a passion of Sarah Davis, DO, associate dean of Osteopathic Integration at ICOM. Hear from Dr. Davis about the partnership with the TKC and the future of the program at ICOM.

TouroCOM Students Showcase Projects During Research Mixer

The American Physician Scientists Association's highly anticipated Annual Research Mixer on September 23, 2024, welcomed more than 80 students. This event offered a unique opportunity for students to connect with Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM)’s research faculty and student researchers, showcasing active projects across a variety of disciplines in medicine.

Attendees rotated through different stations, gaining insight into the work happening in TouroCOM's labs. They had the chance to explore potential research collaborations and time at the end to ask questions and mingle with faculty and student researchers. The event allowed attendees to explore the research opportunities available at TouroCOM, network with research faculty and student researchers, take the first steps to becoming a student researcher and get a glimpse into the process of research work and scientific inquiry.

Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine Students Volunteer at ADA Camp

Two second-year students from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM), Claire Manhard and Olivia Moran, spent a week at the American Diabetes Association Camp EDI (Exercise, Diet and Insulin) assisting with a variety of services for 91 diabetic children ranging in age from seven to 17-years-old.

Olivia has volunteered for the past five years at the Ed & Gloria Hirsch Camp for Children with Diabetes (Camp EDI). This was her first year as a member of the medical staff. Claire wanted the opportunity to work with children living with type 1 diabetes and gain experience with chronic disease management. Olivia discussed some of her duties and responsibilities. Hear more from Olivia and Claire about their experiences at the American Diabetes Association Camp.

WVSOM Receives 10th Recognition as a Great College to Work For

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) has received national recognition for the 10th time as a ‘Great College to Work For’ in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual report on academic workplaces.

The 2024 report, which surveyed employees, recognizes WVSOM in six categories: job satisfaction and support; compensation and benefits; professional development; mission and pride; faculty and staff well-being; and faculty experience. WVSOM was also included in the publication’s Honor Roll, a distinction granted to only 42 institutions that are recognized the greatest number of times across all categories. Read more about the recognition, including a video showcasing WVSOM employees.

VCOM-Virginia Students' Preventive Medicine Research Highlights Community Health Needs

Photo: VCOM-Virginia students present their community health research findings to a panel of judges.

On September 25, 2024, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia)'s Class of 2027 presented their Preventive Medicine course research posters. Students worked with community-based organizations, public health officials and physicians of several rural counties to better understand the needs of these local communities. They researched topics such as food insecurity, substance abuse, homelessness, nutrition, access to healthcare and mental health. At an internal poster competition, student teams presented their research and fielded questions. The first-place presentation, “Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Warm Hearth Food Panty Users,” explored factors contributing to food insecurity in the elderly population of a local retirement community. View more photos from the poster presentations on VCOM-Virginia’s Facebook.

Medical Student, Niece of ‘The Killing Fields’ Actor, Visits Cambodia on Relief Trip

When second-year Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus (PCOM Georgia) medical student Brooke Demetri was presented with the opportunity to join a medical relief trip to Cambodia, she knew she couldn’t turn it down.

As the daughter of a Khmer Rouge genocide survivor and the great niece of a heroic physician turned Academy Award-winning actor, Brooke has always had a connection to both Cambodia and the study of medicine, and knew this trip would have a lasting impact on her career as a medical provider. Read more about Brooke’s experience in Cambodia.