Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) recently hosted its annual Opportunities Academy, a weeklong enrichment program promoting different career paths in health care to high school students throughout the Philadelphia region.
More than 50 students from local area high schools visited the Philadelphia campus to participate in various hands-on educational activities including a forensic medicine escape room, primary care skills workshops, standardized patient simulations, and CPR and “Stop the Bleed” trainings.
Coordinated by the Office of Campus and Community Partnerships, the program includes PCOM students acting as mentors throughout the week providing valuable insights on career development and college readiness.
For Mehki Ward, a student at Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School and a third-year participant, the diverse range of content introduced each year is what keeps him coming back. “My first year we focused on cardiovascular health and the second year was all about the digestive tract,” said Ward. “It’s exciting to know I’ll be learning about something new each time I come back.”
Ward shared that without Opportunities Academy, he might never have considered a career in medicine, as he had not been exposed to the idea before joining the program. “I’m an avid gym-goer, so learning about the muscular and skeletal systems—and seeing how they relate to some of my workouts—showed me that I could potentially have a career in this.”
The week of activities ended with a morning of interactive clinical skill simulations in the Saltzburg Clinical Learning and Assessment Center, where participants and mentors worked with standardized patients to diagnose and treat various conditions.
“The trainings in the Sim Lab is why I chose to come back a second year,” said Nicholas Morici, a rising Senior at Neuman Goretti High School. “I like being able to work with real patients and get a feel for what a career in medicine would really look like.” Similar to Ward, Morici is interested in physical health and hopes to work in sports medicine after college.
In addition to the immersive medical programming, the enrichment camp also included informative sessions on the college application process and networking opportunities with physicians in varying fields including physician assistants, pharmacists, physical therapists, counselors and psychologists.
“Our goal with Opportunities Academy has always been for high school students to leave with the tools, confidence, and inspiration to pursue careers in health care,” said Alicia Hahn, MS, director of program initiatives in the Office of Campus and Community Partnerships. “It’s truly inspiring to watch both students and mentors grow throughout the week—developing new skills, forming meaningful connections, and gaining a deeper understanding of the many opportunities a career in healthcare can offer.”
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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.
Gabrielle DePietro
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: gabrielde2@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304
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