When Melea Neely, a second-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine student at PCOM South Georgia, walks into class, she carries more than textbooks and notes. She carries determination—the focus to pursue her lifelong dream of medicine and the desire to show others that their goals are within reach.
“Ever since I could talk, I've always wanted to be a doctor,” she said. “That never changed.”
Growing up, Neely moved between North Carolina and New York before settling in Atlanta, where she earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in biological sciences from Georgia State University. She chose PCOM South Georgia for two reasons: community and focus.
“When I visited for Accepted Students Day, it just felt like family. That sense of belonging made me feel like this was the right place,” Neely said.
Neely is both a medical student and the mother of two daughters, Paetyn and Mahogany, and she's learned to balance those roles seamlessly. She also serves as president of PCOM chapter of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA). Her journey has been shaped not just by balancing it all, but by perseverance—pushing through self-doubt, retaking the MCAT, and embracing each challenge as part of her path forward. That determination fuels her pursuit of one of medicine's most competitive fields: neurosurgery.
“I've always been fascinated by the brain, and that's why I want to pursue neurosurgery,” she said. “As a Black woman, I sometimes feel out of place, but quitting was never an option. I remind myself I've already beaten so many odds, and I can do this.”
Pursuing medicine isn't just a personal goal for Neely—it's also about leaving a legacy. She wants her daughters, and other young Black women, to see themselves in spaces where they've long been few.
“Reaching my goals isn't only for myself,” she said. “I want others to know they can do it too, even if the path looks different for them. Growing up in Baldwinsville, New York, my family was the only Black family in the community. I know what it's like to be the only one, and if I can help others not feel that way, I want to.”
Moments like the White Coat Ceremony stand out for Neely as a significant milestone in her medical school journey that she describes as both validating and motivating.
“My white coat reminds me that everything I've worked for has led me here,” she said. “Now it's about honing the skills it takes to be a doctor.”
In 2019, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a premier osteopathic medical school established in 1899, extended its commitment to the Southeast by establishing PCOM South Georgia. An additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia, PCOM South Georgia offers both a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. PCOM is a private, not-for-profit institution that trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields. Joining PCOM Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state, PCOM South Georgia focuses on educating physicians for the region. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 229-668-3110.
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.
Kristen Hopf
Communications Content Specialist
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: kristenho1@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6303
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