Students Celebrate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, Coach Soccer Team to Championship, Provided Health Screens During a Día de la Familia Event and More

ICOM Celebrates Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas

Students at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) celebrated Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas (The Festival of Lights and Day of Liberation) on Monday, November 4, 2024th. This joyous and auspicious holiday symbolizes light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. ICOM Student Government Alliance (SGA) Diversity hosted a dinner of Indian delicacies with faculty, classmates and family. Guests were able to learn about the history behind Diwali from the perspective of the religions Hinduism and Jainism, as well as Bandi Chhor Divas in Sikhism. Additionally, students shared personal stories of family traditions and how they typically celebrate. 

Everyone had fun with sparklers outside, as fireworks and diyas (lamps) represent the holiday. “There truly aren’t words to describe how meaningful it was to have such a great turnout—it all came together so beautifully, I’d like to thank everyone who helped out,” said Amulya Jain, second-year medical student and SGA diversity chair. “Diwali is my favorite holiday and with being far away from home, it means the world that I got to celebrate this way with my ICOM family.” Watch a recap of the event on Amulya’s Instagram.

UNTHSC-TCOM’s Dr. Albert Yurvati Bestowed an Honorary Degree by the University of Strathclyde in Scotland

One of the most distinguished and decorated alumni in the history of the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC-TCOM), Albert H. Olivencia-Yurvati, DO, PhD, was bestowed an honorary degree of Doctor of Science by the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

“Professor Yurvati’s commitment to medical education, research and clinical impact echo strongly with the very foundations of the University of Strathclyde,” said Professor Stuart Reid, the head of the department of Biomedical Engineering and Royal Society Industry Fellow in Biomedical Engineering. Read more about the recognition and Dr. Yurvati’s contributions to medical education.

PCOM Georgia Pediatrics Club Hosts Inspiring Event with Young Patient

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus (PCOM Georgia) Pediatrics Club hosted Corvin, a young boy living with Spina Bifida and Chiari 2 for a special "Super Speaker" program where he shared his story of living with a disability and how his love for science has made him want to teach others about his disease.

Corvin shared his experience living with these conditions, his passion for science and his connection to PCOM Georgia that began two years ago when he met Andrea Mann, DO, PCOM Georgia dean and chief academic officer, at the Atlanta Science Festival. Read more about what Corvin taught the medical students.

VCOM-Louisiana Medical Students Participate in Día de la Familia Event

Photo: Anne Remorca, VCOM-Louisiana Class of 2027, checks the blood pressure of an attendee at the Día de la Familia event.

Members of the Hispanic Community Medical Outreach (HCMO) organization at the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine Louisiana Campus (VCOM-Louisiana) recently volunteered at the 14th annual Día de la Familia event in Farmerville, Louisiana, which celebrated the growing Hispanic population in Northeast Louisiana and promoted healthy living and physical fitness. The medical students provided blood pressure checks and preventative health screenings to community members who attended the event. View more photos on VCOM-Louisiana’s Facebook.

Student Relishes Coaching Soccer Team to a State Championship

Two years ago, the Greenbrier East High School Spartans men’s varsity soccer team won a state championship. Dan Hussion, a West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) fourth-year student, may not have been a player, but he was just as much a part of the team’s victory.

Dan was one of the team’s coaches. Having spent most of his life playing soccer, he decided to volunteer when he became a first-year medical student in Lewisburg.

“In all my days playing as a competitive athlete, the coaches would engrain in us that we were only there because a former player wanted to give back and spread the knowledge of the game,” he said. “It was second nature to volunteer throughout my time in medical school. Studying can get stressful and you can get in your own head or frustrated with the way things are going. But having soccer practice would release all that.” Read more about how soccer changed Dan’s career trajectory towards osteopathic medicine.

KHSU-KansasCOM Hosts Inaugural Frontiers in Medical AI Summit

The Kansas Health Science University (KHSU) and its Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (KansasCOM) groundbreaking event featuring national AI experts was designed to foster collaboration, inspire innovation and showcase ideas that are shaping the future of healthcare.

Together, with leading minds in medical and healthcare fields, attendees examined a range of important topics from the equitable and ethical use of AI in higher education, to AI's impact on research, clinical work and precision medicine, as well as how AI is helping to power personalized learning opportunities.

Speakers Ravi Pendse, PhD, vice president for information technology and chief information officer at the University of Michigan, and Calvin Chao, MD, MBA, senior vice president of medical affairs at Tempus Labs, Inc., helped bring the topic into focus with their perspectives on the current AI landscape and the ways we already harness AI in the classroom and in treatment, such as in cancer diagnosis.

CHSU-COM Welcomes Visitors and Future Students to Open House

Photo: Nanami Yoshioka, MA, director of CHSU simulation center, introduces “Pedro” the high-fidelity child manikin to attendees at the open house.

The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) welcomed visitors and future students to campus to explore its medical school. The interactive campus tour, hands-on demonstrations and presentations allowed attendees to explore what the CHSU-COM medical school is all about. View more photos from the open house and watch a video recap.

SHSU-COM To Partner With CMU-CCM On Educational Programs, Research and Student and Faculty Exchanges

Photo: CMU-CCM Dean Hung-Rong Yen; CMU President Mien-Chie Hung; SHSU-COM Dean Thomas Mohr; and President of the International Sleep Science & Technology Association Rayleigh Chiang.

Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM) is partnering with China Medical University College of Chinese Medicine (CMU-CCM) in Taiwan to create new educational and research opportunities for students and faculty. This collaboration bridges osteopathic and traditional Chinese medicine, combining the strengths of each to foster integrative healthcare and broaden learning experiences. Read more about the innovative partnership between SHSU-COM and CMU-CCM.

ICOM Students Encourage Girls to Pursue STEM

Photo: Second-year students in ICOM's AMWA and AWS Chapters.

Second-year students in the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM)'s American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) and Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) Chapters, encouraged local girls to pursue STEM fields during an event hosted by Girls on the Run.

The future physicians shared information on female role models in medicine and how STEM principles directly relate to healthcare careers. Girls on the Run is an international nonprofit organization that helps young girls recognize their potential and rise above limiting gender expectations.

VCOM-Carolinas Announces Partnership with Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County

The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus (VCOM-Carolinas) and the Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County are pleased to announce a formal partnership designed to enhance healthcare access for underserved residents of Pickens County, South Carolina. This collaboration will deploy VCOM-Carolinas’ Mobile Medical Unit as an extension of the Samaritan Health Clinic, increasing healthcare reach and removing transportation barriers for eligible, medically underserved individuals in the region. Read more about the mobile medical unit and how it will help provide primary care to the residents of Pickens County.