The Sacrimice: Tribute to the Lab Mouse
Sculpture
Diamond Beach
Photography
Heart Attack
Painting
On Wednesday, February 19, 2020, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) hosted its third annual Visual Arts Contest awards reception. This year’s contest included 90 submissions from members of the PCOM community in the categories of painting/drawing, photography and other mediums. PCOM community members were given the opportunity to pick their favorite pieces and over 200 votes were cast.
The coordinator of this event Ruth Conboy, DNP, personal support counselor, Office of Student Affairs, touched on the importance of incorporating art and culture into the fabric of student life. “This contest is our annual opportunity to showcase the creativity we have here on campus. As we continue to expand the humanities-focused opportunities available to students, we further exemplify our commitment to 'whole person' education,” she said.
Natalie O’Toole (DO ’22), who won for her sculpture titled, The Sacrimice: Tribute to the Lab Mouse, shared how the collaboration of arts and medicine has helped her in her studies. “In medical school, it can be easy to get hyper focused on the main goal: to become a great doctor. Engagement in the arts can help broaden this often-narrow perspective to create more well-rounded, interesting students.
“Last year, I participated in PCOM's 'Medicine and the Arts' program at the Barnes Foundation, where my classmates and I analyzed paintings and applied the principles we learned to our future careers in medicine,” O’Toole continued.
Cory German, PA ’20, also shared how art has influenced his life. “For me, photography provides an outlet for creativity and imagination that is a contrast to the objective nature of medicine. It’s a stress relief and a way to express myself,” he said. Mr. German’s piece titled, Diamond Beach, was the winner in the photography category.
Gabrielle Mamo (DO ’22) also won for her painting titled Heart Attack.
This year’s contest was sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Human Resources and PCOM’s Coalition for Healthcare, Humanities and the Arts (CHHARTS).
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.
© 2025 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
