Students Meet Tibetan Oracle, Bury a Time Capsule and Complete Patient Safety Exams

Published December 03, 2024

Campus Roundup Inside OME

UNTHSC-TCOM Exceeds 1,000 Students to Pass CPPS Certification

On November 9, 2024, the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC-TCOM) reached another milestone in its illustrious history as the 1,000th UNTHSC-TCOM student passed the Certified Professional in Patient Safety™ (CPPS) exam and earn the CPPS credential. In just four short years, UNTHSC-TCOM has brought patient safety to the forefront by melding this course into the medical school curriculum. Read more about the CPPS certification.


Lu Wolff Named ICOM Student Doctor of the Year

A smiling medical student in a white coat poses in front of a brightly lit, colorful background.

Second-year student doctor Lu Wolff has been named the 2024-2025 Student Doctor of the Year at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Lu, a member of ICOM’s Class of 2027, currently serves as President of ICOM’s Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) and is also a member of the Professional Development Committee, and Leadership and Certification Task Force with National SOMA. Read more about Lu’s reaction to the recognition.


The Nechung Oracle places a ceremonial object on a woman's head as part of a cultural ritual.

Tibetan Oracle Delivers Message of Faith at WVSOM

The Nechung Oracle, Kuten-la, the official State Oracle of Tibet and spiritual advisor to the Dalai Lama, visited West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM)’s campus on November 19, 2024. Speaking during a public reception in his honor, the Oracle said he was honored to speak at WVSOM, where students learn to reduce suffering and show compassion and kindness. He called the reception “a special gathering in a special place.” Read more about the Nechung Oracle’s visit to WVSOM.


Scholarship Honoring Black and Hispanic Medical Students Is Awarded to TouroCOM Middletown Student

Gloria Okafor, MS, second-year medical student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Middletown Campus (TouroCOM Middletown), graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a BS in Biology. She hails from the rural and medically underserved town of Taft, California, which at one time was a sundown town. Recently, Gloria was awarded the “Rebecca Lee Crumpler, M.D. Scholarship” from the Association of Black Women Physicians. The award, which goes to 10 Black or Hispanic/Latinx female medical students every year, is named after the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, in 1864. Gloria is the only DO among this year’s awardees. Read the interview where she discusses her journey to medical school and why she chose TouroCOM Middletown.


Transforming Residency Challenges: The Success of RVUCOM's PDI & MPDI Programs

A classroom setting where a student raises their hand while others work on laptops during a lecture.

In response to an unprecedented challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM) launched the Predoctoral Internship (PDI) and Master’s Predoctoral Internship (MPDI) programs to support medical students who did not match into residency programs. These innovative, milestone-based programs have achieved a 100 percent success rate for participants reentering the match process, while also reducing student anxiety and fostering leadership and professionalism, exemplifying RVU’s commitment to compassion and innovation. Read more about the achievements of the residency programs.


PCOM Celebrates 125th Anniversary with Time Capsule Burial

Three individuals break ground with golden shovels during a ceremony celebrating PCOM's 125th anniversary.

Photo: (from left to right) PCOM President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein; Krish Kondisetti, President of PCOM’s Student Government Association; and Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas Gravina commemorate PCOM’s 125th anniversary by burying a time capsule on November 13, 2024.

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) marked a momentous occasion in its history with the burial of a time capsule on November 13, 2024, commemorating the institution’s 125th anniversary.

The ceremony, held in front of the PCOM seal on the Philadelphia campus, served as one of the culminating events of the college’s year-long anniversary celebrations. With a nod to the future, the capsule—packed with keepsakes from students, faculty, staff and alumni—will remain sealed until PCOM’s 200th anniversary in 2099. Read more about the anniversary event and what it meant to those involved.