When Samantha Cooper, DO ’25, was a child, her healthy, active father suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
“Seeing him strapped down and surrounded by machines in the ICU was terrifying,” she said. “But what stood out to me was how kind and compassionate the hospital staff were. They took the time to explain everything in a way I could understand, helping ease my fear.”
Not long after, Cooper was diagnosed with a heart murmur. During a visit to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the care she experienced was gentle and deeply reassuring.
“Those experiences stayed with me,” she said. “The way they cared for my family and made me feel safe is exactly the kind of healthcare provider I aspire to be.”
That aspiration led her to pursue a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at PCOM—which she chose because of its collaborative spirit and commitment to whole-person care.
“When researching medical schools, PCOM felt like a place where classmates truly help one another succeed, not compete,” she said. “I was also drawn to PCOM’s emphasis on mental health and wellness—I wanted a holistic approach to medicine that considers the whole patient, with a strong foundation in the musculoskeletal system and hands-on techniques that complement traditional treatments.”
Cooper’s time at PCOM was marked by service to others. She led the Clinical Mentorship Program, where she connected first-year students with upperclassmen and clinicians to help give them early exposure and guidance from the start of their medical journey. She helped organize hands-on training sessions in ultrasound-guided exams, assisted other students in the anatomy lab, and even taught fitness classes to support her peers' physical and mental health.
One of the accomplishments Cooper is most proud of is her collaboration with Autumn Dye, DO, an assistant professor in PCOM’s Department of Family Medicine, to develop a new clinical rotation centered on food insecurity and patient advocacy. The rotation gives students hands-on experience with the social determinants of health, allowing them to work directly with patients facing challenges like food access and housing instability.
“Being able to turn this vision into a reality—creating a sustainable, educational opportunity for future students while addressing real needs—is something I’m deeply proud of,” she said.
Cooper received the 2025 Mason Pressly Award, the highest honor given to a PCOM student, in recognition of her leadership, service, and deep commitment to community.
After graduation, Cooper will begin an internal medicine residency at a UPMC hospital. Passionate about general medicine, she is still exploring her specialty interests but feels especially drawn to addiction medicine and hematology/oncology, with the ultimate goal of serving a rural community through both clinical care and meaningful outreach.
“One of my greatest hopes is to bring medical care directly to encampments of people who are unhoused—offering screenings, basic treatments, and bridging the gap in care until we can return or connect them with local resources,” she said.
Cooper credits her resilience to her grandmother and father. Her grandmother embodied compassion, and her father, through long hours and multiple jobs, modeled selfless dedication. While becoming a doctor fulfills a lifelong dream, her deeper goal is to give back to the people who shaped and supported her and her brothers.
To those following in her footsteps, Cooper offers this advice: “You are so much more than a score or a class rank. Being smart will get you far, but being kind, compassionate, and approachable will take you even farther. Never lose sight of the humanity behind the medicine—you’ll be a better doctor for it.”
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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Kristen Hopf
Communications Content Specialist
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: kristenho1@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6303
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