PCOM administrators and staff participated in panel discussions at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) was well represented at the 2nd Annual Equity in Medical Education Summit on April 2, 2024.
Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81, President and CEO; Marcine Pickron-Davis, MSW, PhD, Chief Diversity and Community Relations Officer; Kari Shotwell, MS/ODL '10, Executive
Director of Admissions; and John Hill, Assistant Director of Admissions, all attended
and participated in various panels and discussions.
Hosted by the Consortium of DEI Health Educators (CDHE) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) at the National Constitution Center, they each spoke about how PCOM is helping build a more equitable healthcare system through health education. The main focus of the summit was on underrepresented minority (URM) students and how today's political climate might be impacting various aspects of higher education.
Regarding admissions, Shotwell spoke to PCOM's ability to ensure candidates are fully seen. “We think about all the different things the candidate has gone through, seen, and done, so that we can see their value and the opportunity in front of them,” she said.
Hill shared how reforming institutional practices can help create a more equitable learning environment for all. “We make sure we give students spaces to feel comfortable and provide additional resources as well,” he said. “We all have multiple identities, so we have affinity groups [at PCOM] because we see the importance of that.”
As Shotwell and Hill noted in their discussion, applying to medical school can be
overwhelming for URM students. This experience, however, sometimes overshadows the
difficulties they can face once they've been admitted.
Pickron-Davis moderated a panel that discussed how targeted advising and preparation can significantly impact URM students’ success once they’re on campus. The panel's focus on how to build a supportive network that aligns with students' backgrounds resonated with Pickron-Davis.
“I was a first-generation student,” she shared. “My team and I worked to create a First-Generation Student Committee.” This group fosters connections among first-generation PCOM community members across all three campuses through engaging networking events.
The summit ended with a roundtable discussion featuring senior leadership and DEI health educators from local institutions. Feldstein reflected on his decades of experience and why we should work to ensure underrepresented minority students are better supported throughout their educational journey.
“I get up in the morning for the students. They give me hope, and they're the future,” he said. "We're trying to create an equitable and diverse workforce. If you believe in science and better healthcare outcomes for all, then you have to have diversity in medical education.”
For the past 125 years, 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.
Brandon Lausch
Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell:
717-371-0609
© 2024 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
