Recently, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) hosted its annual Opportunities Academy. This week-long enrichment program brings
together over thirty local high school students, ranging from first-year to seniors,
from local high schools. The program aims to introduce these students to opportunities
in health care and provide mentoring in their journey to college readiness. Students
enrolled in this program identify as African American, Latino or other groups that
are traditionally underrepresented in medicine.
“We are very excited to have the Opportunities Academy back on campus this year,” shared Alicia Hahn-Murphy, MS, assistant director, diversity and community relations and director of this year’s program. “In this program, students are able to see many different sides of health care and gain hands-on knowledge and skills training that we hope they will use in their future careers in STEM+M,” continued Ms. Hahn-Murphy.
The Opportunities Academy is led by PCOM faculty and students in the biomedical science and doctor of osteopathic medicine program. Deneen Hendrick, DO `90, clinical instructor, pediatrics, served as the faculty advisor. Students in the Opportunities Academy participated in activities such as learning to take someone’s blood pressure, administering CPR, a tour of PCOM’s clinical learning and assessment center (CLAC), multiple visits to the anatomy lab, a lesson in immunology and more.
The goals of the academy include encouraging students to practice critical thinking skills and engage in problem-based learning. Students also participated in a photo scavenger hunt with their mentors and developed poster boards showcasing their favorite parts of the week. The week wrapped up with an award ceremony. Awards were presented by program mentors Amanda Kasumu (DO `25) and Owen McLeod II (DO `25).
This year’s Opportunities Academy was sponsored by J.P. Morgan, Christopher Ludwick Foundation, 3M and Hologic. PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia will also host the Opportunities Academy on their campuses.
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.
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