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Several ��ɫ��Ƶ students from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) went to the annual American Osteopathic Association’s (AOA) OMED (Osteopathic Medical Education Conference) in Florida, where thousands of healthcare professionals, osteopathic physicians, medical students, and undergraduate students gathered. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about a variety of specialties and meet each other.

Medical student Riya Pathare (CCOM ’26) and President of the CCOM chapter of SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Association) said, “It’s a great opportunity to network with doctors throughout the countries with all different specialties. There’s no other place to find so many perspectives from thousands of doctors and students. We saw many passionate professionals all in one place, and we talked to them and learned from them.” Riya said they also learned what other medical schools are doing on their campuses and they came back with several ideas to make SOMA and CCOM more active on campus, such as new event ideas.  

Riya added, “It’s kind of understated how impactful these conferences are. We (medical students) get caught up with exams and boards. Every time I come back to the conferences, I remember why I’m in medicine. We get to hear all these great things the doctors are doing. A lot of people don’t realize when you’re in the brunt of medical school how fun and important these conferences can be.”

Medical student Aaron LaRiva (CCOM ’26) said, “It was great that we had a few days to be there and meet everyone. It was interesting seeing a little of everything.” Aaron attended several sessions including public health, preventive medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, stroke rehabilitation, and neurology. Aaron found the public health session particularly informative about how to develop health plans that encourage people to take charge of their own health. He also highlighted aspects of the JEDI Program (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) including treatment of healthcare minorities and gender-affirming healthcare, and said he hopes to bring this program to ��ɫ��Ƶ. “I got to speak with people that were interested in bigger issues like policies and be around people interested in the same things. It was refreshing. I zoomed in on why I’m doing this. It was a reminder medicine is not just quizzes and exams. It can have such a big impact on other people,” he said.

Medical student Ava DiGirolama (CCOM ’26) and SOMA National Liaison Officer, said she and Riya went to the conference to meet with the student branch, and they voted on resolutions. “I’m one of the people who help plan pre-SOMA events, mentorship for college students, social media outreach, interviews, and plan activities. It was nice getting to go there to interact with college students and give advice on their journey. One of the things I’m the most passionate about is mentorship, giving advice, and letting them know something I didn’t know when I started. When I was pre-med, I didn’t realize I could reach out to medical students and physicians, pre-med students coming to a conference speaks volumes. They can talk to deans and physicians who want to help them,” Ava said. “One of my favorite events was speed networking. A bunch of medical students go around and ask us questions. It was nice to be on both sides of that.”  Ava added that Karen J. Nicholas, D.O., M.A., M.S., MACOI, former ��ɫ��Ƶ Dean of the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, received the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. “The American Osteopathic Foundation (AOA) gave her an award. I got to be there and meet her. She was the first female AOA president. My favorite part of going to these conferences is networking, especially with women, being involved in organizations, and political advocacy. I will also do things like this one day when I’m a physician and impact others’ lives.”

Medical student Jen Wilson (CCOM ’25) and Region III Trustee of the National SOMA Board of Trustees (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee), said she spoke with undergraduate pre-med students. “When I was in undergrad, I didn’t know what a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) is. It was nice to talk to students and mentor them as they start to think about applying for medical school,” Jen said. She added one of the talks addressed mental health and emphasized that “prioritizing your mental health and yourself helps you take care of your patients better.” Jen added, “We not only focus on how our field is growing but how we can impact patients, and the new issues arising addressing, being able to advocate for those issues. We’re not only advocating for ourselves in our profession but for our future patients to receive the best care possible. We continuously learn new things. It’s never going to be all set in stone.”

“One thing I really like about the conference in general, is a bunch of people come together like a family, rooting for each other and supporting each other in our end goals. Everyone wants each other to succeed, they help each other, and find resources,” Jen said. Ava added, “What’s always unique about OMED versus other conferences, is that all medical specialties are represented. You can meet all these people at specialties. Everyone is very supportive. Everyone wants to introduce you to new specialties you didn’t know about, or something you didn’t realize you’re interested in.”

The students are also appreciative of the support from the ��ɫ��Ƶ community due to the recognition of how important and beneficial these types of conferences are for students’ professional growth. Ava said, “The faculty is accommodating in rescheduling exams so students can attend. ��ɫ��Ƶ does support us in attending conferences like this and values us networking. This is an opportunity more students should take advantage of.”

A ��ɫ��Ƶ education emphasizes the importance of a variety of educational opportunities, professional and personal growth, and planning for a future career as a healthcare professional. The University encourages students to utilize every opportunity to expand their learning and skillset and make connections for the future. ��ɫ��Ƶ offers Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degrees in Downers Grove and Glendale.