New Class of DO Students Welcomed With Service and Symbolism in South Georgia

July 2, 2026

Nearly 100 future physicians are one step closer to serving communities across South Georgia. This week, PCOM South Georgia welcomed incoming Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students to Moultrie for orientation, marking the beginning of their medical education journey.

The week-long orientation featured a welcome from Robert J. Lloyd, DO, FACOS, dean of the osteopathic medicine program, as well as educational sessions and community engagement activities designed to prepare students for the journey ahead.

A highlight of orientation was the presentation of Littmann Classic III stethoscopes to each incoming student by the College’s local partner, Southwell, symbolizing the start of their clinical training and commitment to patient care.

“Southwell values our partnership with PCOM South Georgia and the role the college plays in training future physicians for our region,” said Christopher Dorman, MA, MBA-HCM, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Southwell. “We are pleased to present these stethoscopes to first-year medical students as they begin their medical education. It is a practical tool, but also a reminder of the responsibility and opportunity that come with caring for patients.”

Students also received their first-year clinical uniforms, had professional headshots taken, and participated in a white coat fitting, a symbolic step toward becoming physicians in Georgia.

“I’m used to wearing lab coats, but putting on the stethoscope, receiving my uniform and trying on a white coat made everything feel real,” said Katherine Markert (DO ‘30). “I chose PCOM South Georgia because I was born and raised in Georgia, and I want to build my career here. I appreciate the holistic approach of osteopathic medicine and have seen firsthand how it has helped my family.”

Orientation week concluded with a Community Day of Service, giving students an opportunity to begin serving the South Georgia community they will now call home. Guided by faculty members and second-year medical students, participants completed improvement projects at Stringfellow Elementary School, the Vashti Center for Children and Families, Hope House, and Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation facilities.

“This Day of Service allows our students and faculty to begin their academic year grounded in service, collaboration and community,” said Jennifer Jenkins, EdD, director of the Office of Campus and Community Partnerships at PCOM South Georgia. “By working alongside our community partners, they gain a deeper understanding of the people and communities they will care for in the future.”

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