Student Update

SGA and SOMA Leaders Discuss their Plans for the Academic Year

(December 2022) One of the biggest demands of the osteopathic medical student schedule is the high workload. With the combination of classroom lectures, hands-on laboratory experience, and clinical rotations, students must manage their time effectively and prioritize their responsibilities.
 
Student leaders at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM) have additional responsibilities. The presidents of the Student Government Association (SGA) and Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) routinely work with the OOA. SGA presidents from each campus—Athens, Dublin, and Cleveland—are invited to OOA Board meetings and are allotted time on the agenda to report on campus activities. SOMA is an AOA affiliate and the nation’s largest network of osteopathic medical students.
 
We thank these student leaders for the time they devote to their classmates as well as to the osteopathic profession. Here are their plans for the 2022-2023 academic year.
 
ATHENS CAMPUS
Lauren Cea
SGA President
 
Though the days may feel long, the weeks of this semester are flying by. It is incredible to think of how fast this academic year is moving. It feels like just yesterday we were first-year students preparing to study for our first quiz, navigating a routine, and exploring new relationships within our class. As we progress toward the upcoming clinical years, students are filled with excitement and, of course, a little uncertainty as we prepare for a transition in our education.
 
Despite the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, our class is optimistic, and it is encouraging to see the world beginning to return to a new normal. After looking back on the obstacles and insecurity of school during the pandemic, it is empowering and assuring to see how far we have come. We started our medical school journey with mandatory masks and distanced classroom experiences. Now, we can engage in our team-based learning curriculum with a little more freedom. As the case numbers decline, I hope we as a community and society will continue to move forward.
 
In my opinion, one of the most important skills we learn in medical school is how to establish a meaningful and trustworthy patient-physician relationship. At HCOM, we have the Clinical Training and Assessment Center (CTAC), where we interact with a standardized patient to improve our history-taking and physical examination skills. This semester, Jenna Barrett, OMS-II, created the program Healthcare for Deaf Individuals, which allows medical students to interact with deaf individuals in a simulated patient experience to expand cultural competencies in the health care field.
 
Patient-centered care is at the forefront of our philosophy at HCOM as well, and we often speak of the donors in Medical Morphology as our first patients. In September, we honored the donors and their families at the Body Donor Memorial Service. Medical students, physical therapy students, faculty, staff, friends, and families all gathered in Heritage Hall to celebrate the lives of those who generously donated their bodies to science. Medical Morphology gives us students the ability to learn the intricacies of the human body in a unique way, an opportunity for which we will always be grateful.
 
One of my favorite events we did this year was the first-ever Ohio University Golf Scramble for Mental Health. The second-year class officers at HCOM, along with the Medical Student Wellbeing Club, the Lifestyle Medicine Club, the Psychology/Neurology Club, and SNMA, worked together to host a golf tournament in support of NAMI Athens, a community-based mental health organization, and The Black Mental Health Alliance, an organization dedicated to destigmatizing the topic of mental health and providing mental health care in predominantly black communities. The focus of this event was to raise money for mental health organizations and raise awareness about mental health prevalence and stigmatization in society. We had a great turnout with 28 golfers, consisting of HCOM and undergraduate students, as well as faculty/staff from the graduate/undergraduate programs at OU. Along with SNMA, the Medical Student Wellbeing Club, the Neuro/Psych Club, and the Lifestyle Medicine Club, we raised over $1500 for these two charities.
 
In addition to raising money for mental health, we prioritize bringing fun distractions to HCOM, especially around exam time. Courtesy of our Wellness Committee, we have had therapy dogs visit us between classes to help us de-stress and rejuvenate. Penny and Dug are very appreciated by students, and we look forward to continuing puppy time throughout the semester.
 
As I reflect on the events that have transpired in the months we have been back to school, I am in awe at what this campus has already accomplished. I am unbelievably proud of my fellow classmates and their emphasis on diversity, unyielding reverence, and prioritization of mental health. Throughout this semester, SGA has worked very hard advocating for students and upholding the best interests of the HCOM community. As SGA, our goals are always to provide ample support to fellow students by working with the administration collectively to improve the learning atmosphere. We cannot thank Dean Tracy Shaub, DO, and Dean Ken Johnson, DO, enough for their unwavering support and dedication to addressing student concerns and meeting them with action. Serving on SGA alongside phenomenal leaders and future colleagues is truly an honor, and I look forward to what the rest of the year will bring.
 
Athens Campus Leadership
President: Lauren Cea
Vice President: Jamie Swickard
Treasurer: Sarah Beach
Secretary: Audras Neverauskas
Director of Community Outreach: Luke Kubacki
Director of Wellness: Dominique Rehl
Graduate Student Senate Representative: Abigail Morton
Student Diversity and Inclusion Officer: Kristina Franklin
SGA Delegate: Sean Diment
Class of 2025 President: Maximalian Konrad
Class of 2026 President: Matt Dugan
 
CLEVELAND CAMPUS
Ayoub Harb
SGA President
 
What a privilege it is to write in the Buckeye Osteopathic Physician! I want to first share my gratitude for the OOA for allowing us the space to share some updates around our respective campus. Additionally, I want to think the entire Heritage College family for making our dreams possible. Even during our hardest days, I always think how fortunate I am to be here. Lastly, I want to show my appreciation to the Cleveland Academy of Osteopathic Medicine. Since beginning my role as president of the Cleveland campus, they have been very helpful, teaching me what makes a good leader along each step of the way!
 
We are nearly through the academic calendar and it has been a very productive, but fast year thus far. One of the goals that I wanted to work on this year was to incorporate communication in a better manner. One of the challenges we face is that many students may not know what SGA is currently working on due to a lack of consistent updates. After working with Dean Isaac Kirstein, DO, and the rest of Cleveland SGA, we realized that it will be beneficial to create a monthly newsletter written by SGA and sent to all students on our campus. The goal is to incorporate this newsletter into all campuses for everyone to read about!
 
Our events on campus are nothing short of spectacular. One of my favorite traditions that the Cleveland campus hosts is Trunk or Treat for Halloween. This is hosted by the Pediatrics Club on our campus and they deserve so much credit for their hard work leading up to the event. Want to hear something pretty awesome? Over 850 kids and families came to campus this past October and celebrate the spooky season with us! Special thank you to Alli Ross from Pediatrics Club and Rachel Moore, assistant director of student affairs in Cleveland. We are working to bring back the HCOM Gala! We are super excited because this will be the first time since the pandemic began where we could host such an event indoors. Hosted by the Family Medicine Club and SAAO, the group has chosen Birthing Beautiful Communities as the financial beneficiary. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping mothers from economically deprived neighborhoods during their pregnancies and postpartum recoveries.
 
Finally, I want to give an update about the newest HCOM members, the Class of 2026. Although my class never experienced the virtual coursework like the other students before us, we never did have the true orientation experience we expected. Normally, each campus joins together in Athens before classes begin in August to start orientation and have the White Coat Ceremony together with their families. I am happy to say that the Class of 2026 was able to live this experience and I am privileged to have been a part of it as a helper! It was such a beautiful, refreshing, and heartwarming experience to see each student hug their family members as they tried their coat on for the first time. It finally felt like we had returned to normal.
 
Thank you once again to the OOA, CAOM, HCOM family, my fellow SGA team, class officers, and all the students for allowing me to be in this role and serve each of you. I am blessed and am happy to be on this journey with you!
 
Cleveland Campus Leadership
President: Ayoub Harb
Vice President: Jennifer Varley
Secretary & Treasurer: Mimi Shorokey
Student Director of Community Outreach: Elizabeth Beran
Student Director of Wellness: Allison Ross
Student Diversity and Inclusion Officer: Malcolm Lee
SGA delegate: Jack Spero
Class President 2025: Clay Carrel
Class President 2026: Marisa Vislay
 
DUBLIN CAMPUS
Molly Frey
SGA President

The 2022-2023 academic year has been filled with many highlights and challenges thus far. A major highlight was welcoming the entirety of the incoming Class of 2026 in Athens, which created a sense of unity. SGA plays a major role in the development of orientation, and a goal of our collective SGA was to ensure that the incoming class felt welcomed, supported, and informed.

Serving in leadership roles post pandemic, we wanted to work to create a collaborative environment within our campus, which not only houses the medical school, but also Ohio University’s Physician Assistant program. The SGA Vice President Kaeli Loeb planned a Student Organization fair with the physician assistant program to continue to expand the opportunities for interprofessional/interdisciplinary collaboration within our programs.
 
As the National Student Government President Representative, I have had the opportunity to attend the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents conferences where we discuss national policies and initiatives. I am incredibly grateful to be serving on SGA and to distribute information from the national level. My time on Student Government has allowed me to develop my leadership, communication, and organizational skills while simultaneously advocating on behalf of my peers and our collective desires.
 
Our campus is continually finding ways to remain active within our community through volunteering and donation-based student organization events. A school favorite, the “Turkey Bowl” is a flag football tournament planned by the Surgery and Sports Medicine Club where the first and second years face off for the championship title. The “pay to play” for this event was canned goods for the Westerville Area Resource Ministry, and the turnout this year was wonderful! The Turkey Bowl is just the beginning of the many service-oriented events that are planned for this year. Professors, Osteopathic Primary Care Associates, faculty, and the one and only DOD, Dean of Dublin Bill Burke, DO, took multiple pies to the face at the Student American Academy of Osteopathy sponsored event, “Pie the Professor.” Students and faculty bought raffle tickets and were entered into a drawing to be able to pie a professor. Money raised from the raffle ticket sales will help to fund the MedGala that will be held next year. The MedGala is an event where OUHCOM students will have the opportunity to dress fancy and spend time with peers celebrating our hard work and dedication.
 
The Dublin SGA Director of Wellness Julia Barbera and her Wellness Committee have done a wonderful job creating a healthy culture on our campus. Julia sends Weekly Wellness newsletters that feature ways we can tend to our physical, mental, emotional, environmental, relational, and existential health. They also always feature students’ adorable pets which is always a morale boost!
 
Sravya Patibandla, the Class of 2025 Curriculum Committee Representative, is working to create a better experience for future cohorts of students at OUHCOM. The Curriculum Committee can offer feedback on curricular changes and brings widespread student concerns to curriculum leadership. The Committee is currently working to encourage students to provide feedback on faculty active learning strategies in weekly feedback forms and ensure that all material is dispersed to students prior to class.
 
I am extremely grateful to the Dublin SGA Executive Board for the drive and passion that they have behind what they do. I am excited to see what we can accomplish collectively throughout the rest of our time as Student Government Leaders.
 
Lastly, I am incredibly thankful for all the time that Dean Bill Burke, DO, and Dean Ken Johnson, DO, have spent listening to students concerns and considering requests/recommendations that have been presented, and the time that other administrators and faculty have spent working with us as well. I am also deeply appreciative to the OOA and Matt Harney for being welcomed and supported as a student representative, and I look forward to continuing working with the OOA throughout my time as SGA President.
 
Dublin Campus Leadership
President: Molly Frey
Vice President: Kaeli Loeb
Secretary/Treasurer: Tina Kinstedt
Student Director of Community Outreach: Shannon Downie
Student Director of Wellness: Julia Barbera
Student Diversity and Inclusion Officer: Jalen Warren
Class of 2025 Curriculum Committee Representative: Sravya Patibandla
Class of 2025 President: Paulo Nunes Maldonado
SGA Delegate: Kyriaki Vassil
Class of 2026 President: Austin Gerwig

SOMA
Neeva Patel
President

The SOMA Athens Chapter has continued to show resilience and excellence throughout this pandemic. We are excited to work with the local community of Athens and conduct a myriad of events this year. With the severe blood shortage across the country especially in the state of Ohio, SOMA Athens and the Ophthalmology Club hosted a Red Cross blood drive on campus. We encouraged all students, faculty as well as local community members to improve the blood shortage in the country by donating blood. It is truly amazing to see all the members within the community working together for a common goal.
 
We will be continuing our “Coffee and Bagels” event from last year, as it was seen as very helpful to the Pre-SOMA members who are Ohio University undergraduate students. This event includes tours of the new medical education building by SOMA leaders as well as small group discussion to aid and give insight to those considering medical school.
 
With another year of getting through the COVID-19 pandemic together, the Dublin SOMA leadership aims to improve chapter involvement within the organization. The first major event of the year was a clothing drive on campus where students, faculty, and community members can donate clothes to the local homeless shelter.
 
National Leader Officer Katrina Wierzbicki was able to engage in a national assembly, organized by SOMA and AOA. She participated in the passage of resolutions that guide initiatives aimed at shaping the future of osteopathic education and practice. This occurred during the OMED convention in Boston.
 
SOMA at the Cleveland campus is looking forward to all the great events that will be happening this year. Cleveland SOMA teamed up with the Addiction Medicine Club to host a Narcan administration clinic. It was an educational event to further develop students’ understanding of how to treat patients adequately and efficiently.
 
Other activities include talks with various DOs to explore the different areas of medicine whether that be rural, urban, academic, political, etc. It is important to expose our students to the plethora of choices one can make as a physician to further help their community. 
 
There is a lot to look forward to in the future. This year saw a lot of coordination among all three OU-HCOM SOMA chapters. We would like to thank the Ohio Osteopathic Association and the American Osteopathic Association for their support this past year.
 
SOMA Leadership
Athens
VP: Rachel O’Connor
Treasurer/Secretary: Trent Davis
AMA Delegate: Jasmine Rockhold
Community Outreach Chair: Talia Minisall
Pre-SOMA Director: Cameron Bowman
 
Cleveland
VP: Sara Gier
Treasurer/Secretary: Sherice Williams
 
Dublin
VP: Annalise Celano
Treasurer/Secretary: Gage Goecke
National Leader Officer: Katrine Wierzbicki