On a sunny afternoon in Suwanee, over 75 high school students gathered on the tennis courts for Field Day—a highlight of PCOM Georgia's Opportunities Academy. The annual week-long enrichment program gives high school students a chance to explore careers in medicine and healthcare through hands-on experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
Throughout the week students hone their critical thinking skills and build the confidence necessary to pursue higher education and STEM-based careers. Guided by healthcare professionals and PCOM Georgia students, the participants delve into lessons in anatomy, CPR training, and are exposed to career paths in medicine, research, physical therapy, and pharmacy. They engage in clinical simulations, anatomy labs, and learn practical skills including how to prepare nutritious meals. This year marked the largest cohort of participants yet, underscoring the growing impact and popularity of the program.
“In many cases, high school students may have limited exposure to different aspects of the healthcare field and may not even realize that they want to pursue a career in health care,” said Christy Dinkins, EdD, assistant director of Campus and Community Partnerships at PCOM Georgia. “We connect these students with current healthcare professionals and mentors who can share valuable insights and resources to help them decide if a career in health care is the right path for them.”
For participant Brandon Ra of Lawrenceville, it's all about the connections: “I like socializing and talking with med school students. They've given me some really good advice on where to go to college,” he said.
At Field Day, participants battled it out through team-based activities such as Scrub Relay Race, STEAM Jenga, Herd Immunity challenges, Gait Walk Relay, Jump Rope for Life, Connect 4, and the Weakest Link (hula hoop).
“Part of why I did this was that I didn't have any guidance when I was younger, so I wanted to share what I learned to help others,” said mentor Seigna Belonce, a second-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine student at PCOM Georgia.
Through these shared experiences, Opportunities Academy continues to help young minds discover and navigate their full potential.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
For general media inquiries, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 215-871-6300 or communications@pcom.edu. Visit our media relations page to view contact information for public relations personnel.
Joy Deibert
Assistant Director, News and Media Relations
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: joyde@pcom.edu
Office: 470-572-7558
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