SAVE THE DATES TUNCOM HOSTS COSGP Earlier this year, COSGP traveled to Las Vegas for its winter quarterly meeting. As usual, the meeting was a huge success with tons of innovation, teamwork, and collaboration. Notable highlights include COSGP’s National Research Poster competition (see p. 6), a presentation from Ohio University Professor Dr. Stoner on how to succeed as a leader, many important school discussions, and the ever- popular COSGP superlatives. Of course, a meeting update would not be complete without an e-high five, a virtual round of applause, and all the honorable mentions to our host school, TUNCOM. Together, their faculty, administration, and students provided an amazing site for our endless productivity, and we can’t thank them enough. Even more so, we could not be more proud of the top notch health fair they organized for the greater Henderson, NV community. Kudos! February 21, 2016 February 29, 2016 April 13, 2016 ®
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SAVE THE DATES
TUNCOM HOSTS COSGP Earlier this year, COSGP traveled to Las Vegas for its winter quarterly meeting.
As usual, the meeting was a huge success with tons of innovation, teamwork,
and collaboration. Notable highlights include COSGP’s National Research Poster
competition (see p. 6), a presentation from Ohio University Professor Dr. Stoner
on how to succeed as a leader, many important school discussions, and the ever-
popular COSGP superlatives. Of course, a meeting update would not be complete
without an e-high five, a virtual round of applause, and all the honorable mentions
to our host school, TUNCOM. Together, their faculty, administration, and
students provided an amazing site for our endless productivity, and we can’t
thank them enough. Even more so, we could not be more proud of the top notch
health fair they organized for the greater Henderson, NV community. Kudos!
February 21, 2016 February 29, 2016 April 13, 2016
®
THE LOREM IPSUMS WINTER 2016
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VOL 1516 | EDITION 3 2
WE ARE THE CHANGE By Alex Bauer, OMS-II from DMU-COM
I explicitly remember the very first time I
heard the term “DO.” In a meeting with
my undergraduate advisor, I asked the
difference between AACOMAS and
AMCAS. She brushed over my question
by replying that AACOMAS was for
students who wanted to be DOs instead
of Medical Doctors (MDs). That evening
I began exploring the osteopathic
profession and the ideals in which it
was built on, which became the spark to
the burning passion I now have for
osteopathic medicine. I found a
profession that took all of the aspects of
medicine that I didn’t like, and
addressed them at a foundational level.
I was able to let go of so many fears I
had about pursuing medicine as a
career. I could let go of my fear of
becoming an uncompassionate doctor
who didn’t listen to his patients, a
unified GME. We are at a crossroads
as a profession where we can map out
our own path. We can listen to what
our society wants from medicine, and
give that to them. Do patients want
more OMM incorporated into their
clinic visits, post-op visits, or even ER
visits? Great, then let’s use our OPTIs
to get DO residents the training they
need to provide those treatments. Do
patients want a physician that
coordinates with all their different
specialists to decide on the best
holistic care plan? Excellent, let’s
create more primary care physicians
who are trained in being that point of
contact that leads the inter-
professional medical team. Osteopathic
medicine has an amazing opportunity
to be the change in medicine that
America wants to see. I say: let’s DO it.
mission to address this issue for med students, interns,
residents, and physicians, in an effort to make the country well
aware that this is a concern in the health care community
and needs to be discussed. So, for the first time ever,
osteopathic medical students are being asked direct, real life
questions about their own mental health in order to kick-start
a conversation that proves we are not alone. The MHATF is
challenging DO students throughout the country to fill out a 10-
15 minute IRB approved questionnaire to help show the world
what’s really going on inside our heads. We encourage you to
do your part and support the elimination of mental health
stigma nationwide. The survey is open ONLY until February 21,
2016, so contact your SGA President and/or COSGP
representatives today to gain access to the survey, so that
together, we can try to #save400.
By Steve Bial ick, OMS-IV from RowanSOM
COSGP and SOMA are excited to announce the official launch
of the Mental Health Awareness Task Force (MHATF), a
campaign to promote emotional and psychological well-being
among health care professionals. A common theme among
osteopathic leaders this year has been resilience, and this
task force has been nothing shy of resilient. Statistics show
that a significant percentage of people reading this
newsletter feel burned out, have felt depressed, and may
have had suicidal thoughts throughout their time in medical
school, residency, or as a healthcare provider. In fact, some
reports show that almost physicians commit suicide
annually, and physicians report burnout. Medical
students and health care professionals often forego mental
health counseling in fear of judgment by their peers,
residency program directors, preceptors, etc. Thus, it is our
doctor who is afraid to touch his
patients, a doctor who refers patients
onto the next physician without
centralizing their care.
Through my interactions with the AOA
and other leaders of our profession as
SGA president at DMU-COM, it is clear
to me that our profession is no longer
asking for a seat at the table. We have a
seat, and society’s concerns for the
medical community have put us at the
head of that table. The public wants
DOs as their physicians, because we
have been trained from day one to
partner with them in providing holistic,
patient-centered health care.
Being a student at such a historical time
for our profession, I am so lucky to have
a front row seat in the transition to a
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INVALUABLE LESSONS IN A LIFE OF LEADERSHIP
By Katr ina Lin, OMS-II from OSU-COM
2
Great leaders come from developing leadership skills, such
as being an effective communicator, listener, motivator,
planner, and executor. The experience gained in leadership
helps us honestly self-assess our unique leadership style,
teaches us how to be adaptable, and develops an
understanding of how best to achieve our goals. These tools
are invaluable to have on our tool belt, as we become great
physicians. While we practice these leadership skills, gain
valuable knowledge, grow as individual leaders, and develop
rich relationships, we are adding onto the readily usable
tools that we already have from our medical education.
Yes, with each leadership journey comes sacrifice,
obstacles, and plenty of sweat and tears. However, the
lessons, relationships built, influences made, and services
provided to others are priceless. Thus, I challenge
osteopathic students across the country to take a leap into
the world of leadership, and you will be surprised what that
experience will bring to your mind, body, and spirit.
1
Defeating medical school takes a tremendous amount of
hard work and enduring determination. This fight seems
impossible without devoting all our time to studying and
studying some more. It feels like a second wasted is a point
off of a test score and more importantly, is knowledge we did
not gain. We use this as an excuse not to take on more
responsibility by dismissing opportunities of leadership.
However, I encourage you, as an osteopathic student, future
physician, and a future leader in medicine to start embracing
leadership because the lessons learned in leadership go far
beyond the walls of an educational institution.
As we step into the field of medicine, we are expected to be
leaders in a few short years. We are expected to gain the
skills of reliably leading teams and to have the confidence in
giving comforting and decisive answers. Patients, family
members, and friends look to us as future leaders in the
community who are willing to serve and make a positive
difference for those around them.
GLOBAL HEALTH UNVEILS MOBILE APP On February 1, 2016, COSGP’s Global Health Committee relayed details about a
project that has been in the works since the start of this academic year. The
committee proudly presented their iPhone/Android mobile app that became the
first of its kind that will help students log their experiences throughout their
global health endeavors. As students travel far and wide, the app serves as an
electronic journal to gather, organize, and record their thoughts and memories
throughout their trip. “DOServe” will be available for download in app stores real
soon, stay tuned for details.
VOL 1516 | EDITION 3 3
THE LOREM IPSUMS WINTER 2016
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AZCOM/MWU LAUNCHES CULTURAL COMPETENCY SCHOLARSHIP By Zinnia Daas, OMS-II from AZCOM
Diversity Culturally competent care is care that respects both diversity in the patient population and factors that can affect health care such as language, communication styles, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Not only does it encompass racial and ethnic differences, but it may also include marginalized populations the provider identifies with that are still at risk for discrimination and have unique health care needs that can result in health disparities. Health care providers and organizations must work together to provide culturally competent care to truly overcome the systemic barriers that increase the probability of patients experiencing negative health consequences, receiving poor quality care, and, most importantly, being dissatisfied with care they receive.
Reflective Awareness Current interventional efforts are addressing cultural competency in the health care setting. Health care providers are attending workshops and training sessions that focus on reflective awareness, empathy, and active listening techniques without oversimplifying the diversity within a population or increasing the likelihood of fundamental attribution errors. This is a step in the right direction, but it raises an important question: Why should this training only begin at the professional level? It should commence at the educational level and be integrated into the curriculum as physicians are receiving their training in basic sciences and clinical skills. With the support of the AZCOM/MWU administration, the school’s student government association was able to create a new scholarship for the medical students at Midwestern University: “Promoting Cultural Competency in Healthcare.” The purpose of this scholarship is to both aid and encourage student doctors who wish to attend conferences and training workshops that promote the platform of cultural competency in health care. While these conferences can’t cover every detail about all languages, cultures, or religions, they are formative opportunities for health care professionals to receive training in cross-cultural issues and create policies that reduce administrative and linguistic barriers that affect the patient-physician interaction today.
Empathy It is our responsibility as future health care professionals to promote and exhibit cultural competency in order to provide the best patient-centered care possible on a daily basis. Empathy, compassion, respect, and humility are attitudes that have the potential to strengthen the patient-physician relationship and can help health care providers acquire information about the patient’s culture that they would like to incorporate in the decisions regarding the medical care they receive. A culturally competent health care system can help improve the quality of care a patient receives and can contribute to the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities that exist today. This scholarship is a testament to Midwestern University’s commitment to promoting cultural competency by supporting the education of its student doctors on issues centered around patient diversity and the quality of health care.
VOL 1516 | EDITION 3 4
OMS DAY OF WELLNESS
February 10, 2016 OMS Day of Wellness was a novel project as part of
COSGP's Mental Health Awareness Task Force
(MHATF) Initiative. Across the country, student
government associations rallied together to give their
students a day to reflect on their own mental health,
and an opportunity to learn about healthy practices for
the mind, body and spirit. Featured above are some of
the amazing events that took place (from top to
bottom): The Wall of Gratitude at WVSOM, Puppy
Therapy at OSU-COM, Folk Music Therapy at VCOM-
CC, and FitFest at UNECOM.
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LESSONS LEARNED: TODAY’S LEGENDS, TOMORROW’S LEADERS Lesson #1 – Never Forget Where You Come From: The Story of Dr. Mercy Obeime
By Taiwo T. Ajumobi , OMS-I from RowanSOM
Like many medical students, my dream
of being a doctor began when I was a
child. In the late 1990s, I was seven
years old and the TV show “ER” was
extremely popular. I loved that show
and it was one of many factors that
influenced my desire to become a
physician. Excited about my decision, I
boldly announced to my mother, “I’m
going to be the first female doctor.”
Coincidentally, later that same day I had
my first appointment with Dr. Rose, a
female pediatrician. Disappointed to
discover that my title of “first female
doctor” had already been claimed, I
then informed my mom, “I’m going to be
the first black woman doctor.” Not long
after that, I met a family friend who not
only was a black female physician, but
she was also Nigerian so I couldn’t
even aspire to become the first Nigerian
female physician in America. Despite
my disappointments to set world
records through medicine, my passion
for medicine stayed with me and
motivated me to enjoy learning, to
challenge myself academically as well
as in other areas of my life, and has
made me determined never to give up
on myself or my dreams. In addition, I
seek to learn about physicians who are
making differences in medicine and
health care. In particular, I want to
know about physicians who are not
necessarily being recognized for being
the first, but rather for being the best.
Their stories teach me, and hopefully
others, what excellence looks like and
how we all might one day achieve our
own versions of it.
One physician I had the privilege to
learn about is family medicine physician
Dr. Mercy Obeime. Dr. Obeime
immigrated to America from Nigeria in
1989 and is currently the Medical
Director of St. Francis Neighborhood
Health Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In her clinic, she has worked tirelessly
with Hoosier Healthwise, a state funded
health care insurance program, to
ensure access to health care and other
necessary resources for low-income
families in Indiana.
Although she works to provide the
utmost care for her patients in America,
she never forgot her people in Nigeria.
A 2001 visit to Nigeria inspired her and
her husband, Dr. Chris Obeime, to
create The Mercy Foundation to help
provide desperately needed medical
attention and care to the people in her
native country. Since its first mission
trip in 2004, the Foundation has sent
$800,000 worth of medical supplies to
Nigeria. The Mercy Foundation has
garnered national recognition, and Dr.
Obeime has herself received such
prestigious awards as the National
Spirit of Women Award in 2003 as well
as the Indiana Tony and Mary Hulman
Public Health Award, among others.
Timmy Global Health, founded by Dr.
Charles Dietzen, partnered with The
Mercy Foundation in 2010 to ensure that
the people of Uromi, Nigeria receive
reliable medical care and resources.
That 2001 visit to Nigeria also resulted
in Dr. Mercy Obeime becoming an
advocate for global access to
healthcare. She was one of a group of
celebrities –including Bono of U2, Chris
Tucker, George Clooney and others−
who had an opportunity during the 2005
G8 Conference to advocate for debt
forgiveness of the world’s poorest
nations. More recently, she participated
as a guest panelist on the BBC World
Service radio program, “World Have
Your Say”.
Dr. Obeime’s story serves as a reminder
that greatness is defined not by one’s
origins or the accolades received, but
rather by how one uses their knowledge
and skills to help those in need. When
asked how she had accomplished so
much, she said there was no magic
formula, humbly claiming, “It just
happened.” Because of her tireless
efforts to promote adequate health care
for all, the people in Uromi, Nigeria –a
place few had ever heard of until she
created The Mercy
Foundation–and the people in
Indiana are all living better
VOL 1516 | EDITION 3 4
and healthier lives.
In the same way, as osteopathic medical students, we strive to care
for those who don’t have adequate access to health care. With the field of
osteopathic medicine expanding, the face, education, and ethnic backgrounds
of osteopathic physicians are also changing. Some of us come from rural
areas, some from the suburbs, and others from the inner-city. Some of us even
come from different countries or have families who currently reside outside the
United States. In our lifetimes, we have been exposed to different health disparities
and conditions.
As the leaders of tomorrow, we are our communities’ best advocates, because we
fully know and understand the underlining problems that have led to the health
conditions present in the community. It is this reason why we cannot and should
not forget the communities we come from. What remains constant in every
community is that people desire physicians who do no harm and most importantly
can provide care that improves their body, mind, and spirit. As future DO physicians,
that is exactly what we are called to DO.
COSGP’s 2016 National Poster Competition was held at TUNCOM in Henderson, Nevada at COSGP’s winter quarterly meeting
in January. About 20 student researchers presented their research at the competition, but ultimately, there were three
winners (shown above). from ATSU-KCOM (left) placed first with her poster entitled
“Hydroxysafflor Yellow A and the Cardiac Permeability Transition Pore.” from TUNCOM (center)
placed second with her poster entitled “Modulation of complement cascade by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in age-related
macular degeneration (AMD).” from TouroCOM-CA (right) placed third with her poster entitled
Assessing the Efficacy of Community Based Screening on “Schistosomiasis Prevalence and Community Awareness in Rural
Tanzania: a Two Year Pilot Study.” COSGP congratulates all participants and commends the amazing research taking place
VOL 1516 | EDITION 3 6
2016 COSGP NATIONAL POSTER COMPETITION BRINGS A+ RESEARCH TO HENDERSON, NEVADA