CHICAGO, Illinois – The Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA), Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP), and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) House of Delegates hosted their respective annual summer meetings in Chicago the week of July 17. Campbell medical faculty and students were in attendance and had an impact on the resolutions passed at the respective organizations’ business meetings.
The week began with second year medical students, Matthew Hamilton (CUSOM 2019) and Emilie Pinto (CUSOM 2019), attending the COSGP (Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents) Conference.
“We collaborated with and learned from other COMs on how we can better serve our student body, our schools, and our profession,” said Pinto, 2019 Class President. “COSGP then hosted the National Osteopathic Student Caucus (NOSC) where we voiced our opinions on resolutions being proposed to the AOA House of Delegates that would affect students.”
When the NOSC convened on Wednesday, July 20th, the Campbell students were among over 250 osteopathic medical students and student leaders from across the country. The NOSC was led by a Leadership Panel comprised of student leaders from many national osteopathic medical student organizations.
After the NOSC, the AOA annual business meeting and House of Delegates convened. Pinto represented Campbell as a Student Delegate.
“I was humbled to represent the voice of CUSOM as Student Delegate for the North Carolina state delegation and to have Matt Hamilton serve as the alternate delegate with me,” said Pinto. “It was an incredible experience that really showed me the importance of policy in medicine and assured me that students have a voice in the AOA.”
Third and fourth year Campbell medical students authored resolutions as part of the student voice. Alexandra Jordan (CUSOM 2018), SOMA Strategic Partnership Director, and Crystal Cobb (CUSOM 2018), SOMA Political Affairs Director, along with fellow CUSOM students Scott Bland, Jeremy Rhodes, Laura Marsh, authored a resolution asking the AOA to pursue the idea of teleconferencing as an option for residency interviews.
These student leaders will be joined by approximately 40 CUSOM students to represent Campbell at the Osteopathic Medical Education Conference (OMED) in Anaheim, CA in September.