SOSA Newsletter Pre-Conference February 2013

Student Osteopathic
Surgical Association
Pre-Spring Conference Newsletter 2013
2013 National Spring SOSA Conference to be held in
Philadelphia!
Hello,
all! from Pamela Brownlee, Convention Coordinator
Update
The Spring 2013 SOSA Convention is quickly approaching, and
here is all of the information you need to know!
If anyone has questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
This year's conference is hosted by PCOM on March 1-2, 2013
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (please note that there will be a
social event the evening of Thursday, February 28, 2013 held at
Bourbon Blue. Transportation will be provided to and from the
Hilton. Visit the following website to receive the most up to date
information regarding this event- including the itinerary, lectures, workshops,
required attire, hotel information, and a link to registration!
http://www.sosaconvention2013.info/
Volume 1, Issue 4
February 2013
Inside this issue!
Spring Convention
Preview
1
Updated Itinerary
2
Updates from SOSA
E-Board
3
Yearly Chapter
Updates
5
We regret to inform you that registration for the National SOSA Spring Convention 2013 in Philadelphia (Feb
28th – Mar 3rd) has reached MAXIMUM CAPACITY and is currently CLOSED. Due to strong efforts on behalf of
the hosting institution (PCOM) and executive board we have reached a record high 230 registrants!
We will however be making exceptions for the following people: if you are part of a chapter that currently has
less than two members attending, an exception will be made and you will be allowed to attend at the late registration rate of $60. All SOSA chapters are encouraged to have two members (preferably President and NLO)
attend the business meeting and cast their votes on executive board elections. Please refer to the convention
website for a list of schools that are eligible for this exception: www.sosaconvention2013.info/registration.htm
Feel free to contact your
Once you fill out the online registration to ACOS, please also register on the site listed above with PCOM and be National SOSA E-Board
sure to rank your workshop preferences!! If you have any questions, comments or concerns do not hesitate to
Marc Billings, Chair
contact Sean Kelly at [email protected] for more information.
[email protected]
PCOM is also hosting a semi-formal Gala that Friday night at the Hilton. There is an
additional $25 cost to attend this event; however, we strongly encourage our members
to attend as there will be a full buffet dinner, casino games, raffle prizes, cash bar,
and transportation to/ from the after party downtown. You can also register for this
event on the website listed above. Don't forget your semi-formal attire!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. And please help
spread the word about the conference by telling your friends! We look forward to s
eeing you all in Philadelphia!
Regan Riley, Vice Chair
[email protected]
Meghan Wooster, Secretary
[email protected]
Ryan Tarr, Treasurer
[email protected]
National SOSA E-Board elections will be held Saturday, March 2nd, 2013 during the business meeting. To run as Sean Kelly, Communications
a candidate, please write an essay (less than a page) outlining your desire to serve as an officer and email to
sosacommunications
[email protected] by Friday, March 1st, 2013 at 12 p.m. sharp! Each essay will be posted at the Spring
@gmail.com
Conference for all to view. Please see descriptions of positions and updated bylaws per 2013-2014 National
SOSA Handbook. The morning of elections, candidates for Chair and Vice Chair will be allowed 3 minutes each
Leo Bay,
to speak on behalf of their candidacy, whereas the candidates for the other offices will be allowed 2 minutes
Technology Coordinator
each. Elections will be held in the following order: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications,
sosatechnologies
Technology, and Convention Coordinator. If not elected to original office pursued, candidates are able to
@gmail.com
trickle down and run for subsequent positions at their will.
Pamela Brownlee,
Convention Coordinator
[email protected]
Page 2
Student Osteopathic Surgical Association
Updated Itinerary for SOSA Spring Conference 2013
Thursday 2/28
7:00pm-10:00pm:
Welcome Reception @ Bourbon Blue, 2 Rector St Philadelphia, PA 19127
Transportation will be provided
http://www.bourbonblue.com/
Friday 3/1
8:00am - 9:00am: Registration & Breakfast
9:00am - 9:15am:
Welcome from Dr. Arthur Sesso, DO, FACOS "Galen S. Young, DO" Chair, Department of Surgery
9:30am -10:00am: Lecture 1 – Carmen Piccolo, DO Chief Resident, PCOM General Surgery Program
"Residency Considerations and How to Make Yourself a Strong Applicant"
10:00am - 10:30am: Douglas Troutman, DO Vascular Surgery Fellow, Pennsylvania Hospital, University of Pennsylvania Health System
"Vascular Surgery Case Presentations, Introduction to the Vascular Surgery Specialty, and How to
Obtain a Vascular Fellowship"
10:30am - 12:00pm: Workshop 1
12:00pm - 1:30pm: Lunch @ Student Activities Ctr. And Philanthropy Event
1: 30pm -2:00pm: Leigh Ann Price, MD Director, Burn Surgery Fellowship Program, Johns Hopkins
University
"Burn Surgery"
2:00pm - 3:30pm: Workshop 2
3:30pm - 5:00pm: Workshop 3
8:00pm - 12:00am: Semi-Formal Night - PCOM Gala @ The Hilton (dinner included)
https://pcomwintergala.ticketbud.com/pcom-winter-gala
Saturday 3/2
8:00am -10am: Business, Elections, and Bids
10:00am - 11:30am: Workshop 4
11:30am - 1:00pm: Workshop 5
1:00pm - 2:00pm: Lunch
2:00pm - 2:30pm: Joshua Hazelton, DO Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellow, Cooper University
Hospital
"The ABCs of Trauma and Case Presentations"
2:30pm - 4:00pm: Workshop 6
4:00pm - 4:30pm: Awaiting Confirmation
4:30pm - 5:00pm: Closing Remarks
9:00pm: Concluding Celebration XfinityLive!
1100 Pattison Ave Philadelphia, PA 19148
http://xfinitylive.com/
Workshops will include short didactics portion followed by hands on activities.
For more information please consult www.sosaconvention2013.info
Continuing the tradition...the SOSA Cup!
2012 SOSA CUP CHAMPS! TCOM
The “Coveted SOSA Cup” contest was brought back last year at the
2012 Spring convention. The contest was comprised of a series of 3 different challenges: 1) Radiology/Pathology Trivia 2) Popular Medical
Media Trivia and 3) Suturing Contest. We will be continuing the SOSA
Cup this year! So roll your sleeves up, put on your thinking caps and get
your needle drivers and adson’s forceps ready! There will be an entry fee
with all proceeds goint to support scholarships for SOSA members to
participate in HELPS International, a surgical mission trip. The cup will
be making its way to the next convention to see which lucky school can
claim to be the SOSA Cup Champions. Good luck to all!
Page 3
Student Osteopathic Surgical Association
Updates from your National SOSA E-Board!
Marc Billings, Chair
Greetings once again from all of us on the National Board! It has been incredibly rewarding to work with all of you this past year, and I wanted to
thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve you.
Our primary goal for the year was to increase communication to all of you.
This has always been your organization, but how could it be without a clear
line of communication to all members. Thanks to a more comprehensive registration process made successful through your cooperation, we are now able
to send updates to all of you, not just your local officers. I hope that this has
made us more available for questions you might have, and I hope that the
direct line of communication has imparted a sense of belonging not only to
your local chapters, but to the national chapter as well.
The upcoming spring convention will be in Philadelphia on March 1st-2nd. That is a Friday and Saturday, so we
hope that you will all be able to attend this year. They have a busy schedule laid out for us this year, and we are
very excited to experience all that Philadelphia has to offer.
I would like to congratulate all of the fourth years that matched this year. For those of you awaiting the results
of the allopathic match, I wish you the best of luck, and look forward to hearing of your success.
Thank you all once again for allowing me to serve. This has been an incredible experience, and I hope that I
have served you well. As always, should you have a question or suggestion for improvement, please let us know.
Regan Riley, Vice Chair
Regan is currently in Guatemala on the HELPS International surgical mission
trip. As Vice Chair, Regan has been working hard ensuring clubs receive their
OR Guides, working closely with Ryan to manage the budget, and working
with PCOM to ensure a successful spring convention among many other activities. She will be providing a more detailed update at the Spring Conference in Philadelphia!
Meghan Wooster, Secretary
Hello SOSA Members! Hope everyone is well. Upon reflecting on the last
year and reading through various chapter updates it is amazing the strides
we have taken at a local and national level within SOSA. Through sending
out newsletters and multiple other forms of communication our hope to
empower all SOSA members to reach their goals. With this, I hope you
have enjoyed the newsletters over the past year. Also, attached to this
email is the updated SOSA Handbook which contains all of the by-laws and
policies. Please use is as a reference to guide your own local organization
as well as participate at a national level. Please do not hesitate to contact
me with any questions you may have. Thank you again for all of your hard
work this past year representing SOSA—we could not do this without you!
If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact me at
[email protected]. Hope to see you all in Philly!!
Volume 1, Issue 4
Ryan Tarr, Treasurer
Hello SOSA gang! First off, I would like to welcome all of the new SOSA members. This year has been a
phenomenal year for SOSA. We have added more than 1200 new members, greatly increasing out
SOSA membership, and the SOSA funds. We wanted to thank all of the chapters for not only hosting
great membership drives, but turning in dues so promptly; we were able to decrease the costs for the
spring convention for a second time to only $50 for a week of lectures, food and hands-on workshops!
We are also offering various scholarships that will be awarded at the Spring Convention, as well as a
scholarship for a mission trip, so definitely apply!
For those of you interested in fund raiser ideas, at the business meeting we will be discussing what
worked well at your local chapters. There will be SOSA items you can purchase at the Spring Convention too. We have SOSA hoodies, coffee mugs, water bottles, pins and pocket jotters, all which work
perfect during your 3rd year rotations.
For the few schools that have not turned in their SOSA membership, please contact me ASAP at [email protected]. All membership dues should be in before the SOSA convention. Chapters that
have not turned dues by the convention may face voting penalties. Thanks again!
Leo Bay, Technologies Coordinator
Hello SOSA members. We are very excited to see you in just a few weeks in Philadelphia. I just
wanted to give you a quick reminder that all the information on the convention is at the website
http://www.sosaconvention2013.info/ at the site you will be able to find all the details on speakers,
workshops, and the events associated with the conference. Additionally, you will see links to register
with both ACOS and PCOM. I know that the form is slightly confusing especially if you don’t have a
default email program set up for your computer. If you click register it will try to send an email however if it can’t do that for you it will prompt you to save a file. Please save the file and email it to
[email protected] and it will get taken care of. I you are having any trouble with getting the
form to work please feel free to email me [email protected] and I will help you get it to
work. We are excited to be able to offer an online
payment method for the first time this convention
and really appreciate your patience as we work to
make this easier for all of us going forward. On the
registration page you will also see a link to register
for the optional PCOM Gala, it is an additional $25
but includes a full buffet dinner, casino games, raffle
prizes, cash bar, and transportation to/from afterparty downtown!
Sean Kelly, Communications Coordinator
Due to strong efforts on behalf of local chapter officers and the executive board during the membership drive, we currently have over 1,600 members on file! It has been my primary goal over the last year
to ensure that communications are relayed directly to each one of our members. Although miscommunications are inevitable, I have been working diligently to ensure that we have the most up-to-date
email list and that our messages are delivered in a timely manner. SOSA conventions are a fantastic
way to meet new people, build relationships and network with surgeons from around the country; with
a record high 230 registrants and surgeons from multiple sub-specialties, this years convention will
offer more opportunities than ever before! This year, National SOSA will be presenting a total of eight
scholarships: three “Educational and Travel” scholarships; two “Community Service” scholarships; two
“Research Poster” scholarships and one “Chapter Scholarship”. Recipients will be honored in Philadelphia on
Saturday, March 2nd; all recipients must be present in order to receive the award. For those of you who are interested in applying for a national SOSA position, please write an essay (less than one page) outlining your intentions and email it to Meghan by Friday, March 1st; candidates will be allowed to give a two-minute speech at the
board meeting on Saturday, March 2nd. Current available positions are: Secretary; Treasurer; Convention Coordinator; Technologies Coordinator and Communications Coordinator. Only current executive board members are
eligible to run for Chair and Vice Chair. It has been a pleasure working and communicating with each and every
one of you. I look forward to seeing everyone’s smiling faces in The City of Brotherly Love!
Page 4
Yearly Updates from SOSA Chapters!
SOSA chapters across the nation have been very busy this year not only facilitating opportunities for their members related to the field
of surgery as well as participating in philanthropy. Here’s a review of SOSA members in action over the past year!
Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
The VCOM Chapter of SOSA has worked diligently this year to increase the opportunities for its members
to practice their skills and ask any burning questions of physicians and faculty regarding surgical practice. There
has been a great interest from our Class of 2016 with the addition of more than 60 new members bringing our oncampus body to 132 students.
We have increased the number of meetings as well as attempted to streamline our club using Google
Drive to create forms for easy RSVP and sharing of information between officers. With one account for our E-board
to connect to, our productivity and efficiency has markedly improved.
Another improvement the Election board made was an addendum to the chapter’s constitution. Several
clubs at VCOM had issues with non-active members running for officer positions in order to boost resumes or CVs.
We decided that members that wish to run for office must be active members and roll will be taken at each event
we have. Attendance would then correspond to a point system wherein you must have a certain number of points to be able to run for
office. A vote was held with the required number of members and the reform was made.
At this year’s club fair and White Coat Ceremony, we decided to sell scrubs with VCOM’s logo on them. They were a huge hit
among students- especially the first years since they were just beginning their anatomy lab. We raised a good amount of money for our
club while allowing students to show their school pride. We also incorporated the use of a credit card reader connected to an iPad.
This allowed us more sales than we would have likely been able to get since very few students had cash or checks.
Following, you can see a list of all the great things that happened because of SOSA at VCOM:
Splits and Sutures/Sweets and Sutures
These were bimonthly events for students to learn or polish suturing skills with the aid of club officers or VCOM faculty. We
played videos and provided handouts as instructional tools. Suturing was practiced on banana peels and/or chicken breasts.
Journal Club
Our chapter has a Journal Club that attempts to meet bimonthly to discuss cases pertinent to our block materials. Generally, a
few cases would be discussed with one person leading the discussion. Cases would be critiqued according to legitimacy or validity or
research, etc. Our club advisor, Dr. D’Amato, was on hand to help guide the discussion in a manner that would mimic a situation during
residency or rotations.
Can You Hack It?
September 5th, 2012
At this meeting we invited Dr. Amanda Reese, DO to come and speak about what she did to get a General Surgery residency.
This was a question answer session provided to members.
Dr. Jared Stork, DO
November 8th, 2012
Dr. Stork, a plastic surgery resident, presented to a handful of members about how to shine on surgical rotations as well as
what he thought would be helpful in acquiring a surgical residency position. He had many helpful thoughts about review resources as
well as things a medical student should always have in their coats on the wards.
Dr. Tamera Howell, MD., OB/GYN
October, 2012
Dr. Howell came to speak to members during our reproductive block about Pelvic Prolapse and what her life was like as an
OB/GYN. She brought some of the tools she used and explained the procedures she routinely performs. She also spoke some on the
current state of medicine and how her career as well as ours will be changing.
OR Scrub Event
January, 2013
Our chapter recruited an OR from Lewis Gale Hospital –Montgomery in order to practice scrubbing in. This event was exclusive to 2nd year members to reduce the load on the hospital and maximize the experience for those in attendance. Prior to the event
we held an information session at VCOM to remind members of some of the techniques.
Ultrasound Workshop
January, 2013
At VCOM, we have a Simulation Center that has many exciting technologies. One of which, is the use of ultrasound equipment. Our chapter coordinated with the SIM Center to bring in a patient being treated with dialysis so that we may practice FAST Ultrasound techniques on a person with fluid in the abdomen. Dr. Fred Rawlins, an ER physician was on hand to guide and instruct members.
ASIG Airway Workshop
January, 2013
Our Anesthesiology Interest Group organized an Airway Workshop for students in coordination with the Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School. The event took place at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Students were able to practice intubation, placing a
central line and other various techniques.
Trauma Surgeons
January, 2013
We invited Dr. Collier, DO and Dr. Bradburn, DO to speak about their lives as trauma surgeons in Roanoke, Va. They explained their responsibilities and lifestyles and were available for questions relevant to the field.
SOSA Blood Drive hosted at VCOM
Our Education Chair, Thomas Evely, organized a American Red Cross Blood Drive for students and faculty at VCOM
Montgomery County Christmas Store
December, 2012
SOSA contacted the Montgomery County Christmas Store Program last December about volunteering with their efforts. The
program allows citizens of lower economic class from Christiansburg, Blacksburg and surrounding areas to shop for presents for their
families. SOSA organized volunteers from the VCOM family into time slots on different days to assist in any way they could. The link to
their website is provided.
http://mcchristmasstore.org/index.shtml
It has been a great year for SOSA at VCOM. We hope our efforts have enriched the medical school experience and enhanced
the passion for surgery within our members.
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
SOSA has enjoyed another successful and interesting year thus far. Our members have continued on the tradition of community service, fundraisers, guest speaker presentations, surgical skills labs, and a variety of other opportunities to explore the realm of
surgery and all that it has to offer.
The year started off with a membership drive for incoming students that proved to continue to expand our numbers. Interest
has continued to grow showing that out student body is interested in a variety of fields. The annual online silent auction was held in
October, and as our largest fundraiser, guaranteed our success for the remainder of the year. The silent auction is a way for local businesses to advertise to the Des Moines University community while supporting SOSA’s endeavors to provide education involving surgery and community outreach opportunities.
There have been many guest speakers from around Iowa who graciously took their time to present various topics. We started
out the year with Dr. Goldman the director of General Surgery at Mercy Hospital. He spoke with us about what it means to be a general surgeon as well as getting into a residency program. Dr. Fleenor, a resident at Mercy Hospital, held an open forum for questions
and answers allowing our members to pick her brain regarding medical school and residency. In addition, Dr. Mansukhani, a local surgeon, further elaborated on how to select a surgical specialty and what it takes to get into residency. Finally, for a better idea of surgical specialties we were able to have Dr. Scott come and present on vascular surgery and provide an interesting case study.
Our most popular event was by far the surgical skills workshop we held last semester. Members that attended were introduced to and taught skills such as suturing, knot tying, laparoscopy, basic antiseptic technique. These hands-on workshops allow members to get a flavor of the surgical skills laboratory taken in the second year curriculum. Moreover, members can use these abilities
when shadowing surgeons or other clinicians as a way to demonstrate their knowledge.
Staying involved in the community has been a top priority this semester. DMU-SOSA had a booth in the Senior Health fair
held at the university. Medical information was provided to older adults of the local community to improve and safeguard their health.
In December, the traditional “Coins for Clause” drive was undertaken. Faculty members submitted their names to dress up as Mr./Mrs.
Clause and take pictures if the money donated by students was highest in the name of that professor.
We look forward to continuing a productive remainder of the year with more events. Our plan includes more workshops with
skills like suturing, knot tying, chest tubes, and much more. Our club will also be volunteering in the Des Moines University “Mission:
Active” a campaign to educate and support community children in health and physical activity. Hope so see you all at the spring National SOSA convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!
Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
During the fall semester, our first activity was Club Day during orientation week. During this time we were able to recruit the
majority of our members. Throughout the next few months, we were able to recruit more members. Our club’s main event during the
fall semester was a scrub sale fundraiser which was very successful especially with the 1 st year class. We are hopeful to have some
speakers this semester.
Rocky Vista University College of Medicine
Rocky Vista University's chapter of SOSA has had an exciting year with a vast increase in membership and speakers/workshops for its
members to attend. In addition to attending speakers from within our own school, we have also had the opportunity to welcome local
surgeons to come and share their experiences with us, featuring orthopedic hip surgery and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries. For
the first time in our club’s history, we were able to see and interact with a live total knee replacement surgery. Besides hearing about
clinical experiences, we've also had the chance to engage with physicians and learn how to approach the challenge of obtaining a spot
in a surgical residency program and the steps it takes to get there successfully. We once again had the chance to hear from a post-
laryngectomy cancer survivor, giving us the opportunity to understand the patient side of surgery and her
first-hand experiences. In order to get some early hands-on experience to prepare 1st and 2nd year students,
we hosted knot-tying workshops and suture workshops, using both pigs' feet and human cadavers. We were
excited to host workshops in the spring semester exploring neurosurgery techniques such as craniotomies
using human cadavers from our anatomy department. We hope to continue to attract osteopathic students
into the exciting world of surgery through RVU's SOSA club membership.
Here is a list of past & future lectures/workshops:
8/28/12 – PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries (Admiral Richard J. Jeffries)
8/29/12 – The Melting Pot Fundraiser for Denver Children’s Hospital (SOSA club members)
9/10/12 – Cadaver Suturing Lecture (Dr. Walter Buck)
9/11/12 – Cadaver Suturing Workshop (SOSA Officers)
9/12/12 – History of Surgery (Dr. Tieman)
9/19/12 – Gowning/Gloving/Sterile Technique Workshop (Dr. Lea)
9/25/12 – Orthopedic Surgery Presentation (Jon Vaux, OMS-IV)
10/3/12 – Surgical Knot Tying Workshop (Dr. Tieman)
10/13/12 – Cadaver Spine Surgery Workshop (Dr. Walter Buck)
10/16/12 – Total Knee Live Surgery Presentation (Dr. Malaka)
10/19/12 – SOSA Conference Presentation (Zach Brown, OMS-I)
10/24/12 – Pathway to Surgical Career (Dr. Tieman)
11/1/12 – Central Line Placement (Dr. Lea)
11/16/12 – Orthopedic Surgery, Hip emphasis (Dr. Hugate)
12/11/12 – Trauma Surgeon (Dr. Burt Katubig, MD)
12/12/12 – Patient Perspective: Throat Cancer (Ellen Frohardt)
12/21/12 – Pathway to Surgical Career II (Dr. Tieman)
1/15/12 – Fluid Balance and Administration (Dr. King)
1/18/12 – Cadaver Craniotomy Workshop (Slava Makler, OMS-III)
1/25/12 – Board Prep and Study Tips (Robert Lenhart, OMS-III)
2/19/12 – Surgery Rotations Presentation (Dr. Jacob Opfer, PGY-I)
Not yet scheduled lectures/events:
-March 19th – 21st: Suturing Workshop for CU Boulder Undergraduates
-Partnering with Project CURE to help sort medical supplies
-Partnering with Skyridge Hospital to view live surgeries
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine New York
Spring Health Fair – The SOSA E-board manned a table at TouroCOM’s biannual health fair. Community members were given
procedure overviews for four very common procedures: appendectomies, cholecystectomies, c-sections, and hernia repairs. Also,
there was a Ethicon suture knot tying kit at the table to teach community members and other TouroCOM students how to tie surgical
knots.
Trauma in Afghanistan (lunchtime presentation): Major Dr. Kamal Kalsi is a physician in the United States Army, who returned
from Afghanistan after a seven month tour. He made a presentation of the different types of trauma that soldiers and civilians experienced in Afghanistan. Some examples included lung damage due to explosive devices, limb loss, and severe hemorrhaging. He presented several methods of treatments for each particular type of injury. He specifically shared his experience and the effectiveness of
using a wheel-barrel-like stretcher and a special tourniquet; both are used by our modern-day military. Throughout the presentation,
Dr. Kalsi was able to effectively illustrate to those in attendance the horrors of warfare and the trauma that soldiers and civilians experience.
Suture Clinic: We had a suture clinic led by a second year that was a Physician’s Assistant and a first year student that had assisted a plastic surgeon in Mexico. The two students went through very simply suturing techniques and actively helped all participants.
It was a very successful introductory suture clinic.
Femoral Acetabular Impingement (lunchtime presentation): Dr. Greene is an orthopedic surgeon who did a fellowship in
sports medicine and hip arthroscopy. For a period of time, he was also the associate team physician for the U.S. Ski Team. Dr. Timothy
Greene lectured on Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI). He made a very fascinating presentation, incorporating videos of the
procedure being completed laparoscopically.
Lunch with a surgical residency director (lunchtime presentation): Dr. Robert Cowles is a pediatric general surgeon and director of Surgical Residencies at New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. The focus of the presentation and the session overall was to elucidate how to be competitive when it comes to surgical and pediatric residencies.
Orbit Dissection: An ophthalmologist and residents dissected an orbit in the cadaver lab as students watched. Students were
actively asked questions. The residents also highlighted important clinical relationships as they dissected.
Procedure Demonstration: Various procedures were demonstrated on cadavers by emergency department residents. Students were
also allowed to attempt some of the procedures. The procedures included: Cricothyrotomies (Crikes), Chest tubes, intraosseous injections, saphenous cutdown, and placement of central lines.
Fall Health Fair: We taught the community specifically about renal transplant surgery and, again, taught individuals how to
tie basic surgical knots.
Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine
2012 Fall Semester Events
Anatomy Dissection Kit Sale—Prior to the M1s first anatomy lab dissection we sell dissection kits that contain everything the department wants them to have for $20 (the campus bookstore charges $27). This way all M1s are prepared when its time to dissect.
Anatomy Lab Practical Reviews—The M1 class has 3 anatomy lab practicals. The week before each practical SOSA holds an anatomy
review in which we have the M2 anatomy fellows (who spent the summer dissecting and teaching anatomy to the PT, OT, PA, and AA
departments) review every structure that the M1s are responsible for on their exam. The review is free for SOSA members, food is provided, questions are answered, and supplemental review packets are distributed electronically. We usually have about 180 M1s attend
the reviews.
Surgical Lunch Lectures—Each semester we bring in local surgeons from different specialties to discuss their training and practice and
how to get into the specialty. This past semester we had 3 guests. The lectures can be attended by all COM students as well as PAs interested in surgery and Optometry students (for the ophthamologic lecture). Food is provided for SOSA members.
Dr. Gallo, DO, a general surgeon discussed acute cholecystitis, all the way from patient presentation to laparoscopic cholecystectomy
and everything in between. This lecture benefitted both the M2 class which was learning GI and the M1 class which was covering abdominal anatomy.
Dr. Pappas, MD, an ophthalmologist discussed her residency experience and fellowship training as well as what it's like to be a practicing ophthalmologist. She presented a case on closed angle glaucoma. The M1 class benefited as they were learning eye anatomy at
the time.
Dr. Cross, DO, an orthopedic trauma surgeon came to discuss his unique experience in Haiti following the earthquake. He discussed
how to manage a natural disaster surgically as well as what it means to be a doctor and provide a completely pro-bono service to those
in need. Perhaps the best lecture I've attended so far.
SOSA and OPP—Each year we have either a general surgeon or one of our OMT professors give a lecture on the use of OMT on pre
and post-op surgical patients. This year we had Dr. Rose, DO, a general surgeon, discuss his use of OMT on his patients as well as the
use of the OMT philosophy in the surgical management of patients. While most SOSA members want to cut it's interesting to think
about the underlying structure and function that leads to surgical intervention.
Community Service—In the past SOSA hasn't been really involved in community service events based on the nature of our club and
lack of ability for students to supply surgical services, however, this year we wanted to do something for the community. We joined
forces with a local state park and hosted a kayak clean up event in which we kayaked out to an island in the intracostal and spent several hours cleaning up trash and debris left on the island. It was a great way to get away from the books for a couple hours, get some
exercise, and give back to the community. We plan on hosting more of these in the future.
2013 Spring Semester Planned Events
So far for the semester we have several things planned.
Neuro Anatomy Lab Practical Review
Dinner with Dr. Gallo - to discuss how to get into a surgical residency, how to succeed in your surgical residency, and all the possible
fellowships you can do afterwards.
Residency Dinner - M4s that match into surgery come to discuss what they did to match into their residency and answer any questions
M1s and M2s have. They also provide contact information for future NSU-COM students who are interested in surgical electives and
pursuing a surgical residency.
Kayak Clean-Up
E-Board election and transitioning.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine—Erie campus
LECOM-Erie SOSA chapter had an exciting year of learning & service. Here are some highlights to our year:
Suture & Ortho Clinics, Practice Anatomy Practical
Held multiple times during the year, these clinics are popular on campus. OMS I and II students were able to sharpen up their skills in
knot tying and laceration suturing on pig feet, led by Dr. Makoske our club advisor, and to explore various options and techniques for
arm/leg casting with the Ortho Residents from our teaching affiliation, Millcreek Community Hospital. These clinics were fun, interactive, and great ways to take a break from studying! We believe that these skills get better with much practice over time and found the
clinics to be very beneficial. We even held a fundraiser for the club selling Suture Kits, which were customized for medical students’
need for practice in an affordable manner. Finally, the second year medicals hosted several practice anatomy practicals on Saturdays
to aid the first years with their performance on cadaver lab identifications and follow-up oral questions.
Organ/Tissue Donation, Fighting Cancer
This year primarily focused on strengthening our service component by working with various community organizations, notably: the
Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE Pittsburgh, PA), the Colby Foundation, and the American Cancer Society (ACS). Utilizing our local health fairs, SOSA members, along with CORE representatives, informed the community about organ/tissue donation
option and debunking the myths surrounding this process. The students also helped to run the Colby Foundation Fun Run 2012, which
helped to raise awareness about organ/tissue donation, in addition to raising funds to sponsor the Colby Cassini Endowed Lectureship
Series at LECOM-Erie this semester. The entire LECOM-Erie organizations helped with the annual Relay for Life, and the SOSA team
raised over $550 for ACS. Finally, SOSA hosted a table teaching the teenagers at a local youth center about the human anatomy, diabetes, and hypertension, as a part of a larger effort called the KUSP (Know Understand See Perceive) Project.
LECOM SOSA continues to value the importance of learning from those before us—the speakers, professors, and clinicians—while
translating that “into practice” by participating in various clinics and engaging with the community. I was able to witness the dedication and endurance that our members possessed, and I am delighted to have worked with so many. LECOM SOSA will produce some
amazing surgeons in the future!
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University
AZCOM’s SOSA chapter has been extremely active this year in equipping its members for their surgical endeavors. We quickly
launched into multiple knot tying workshops, laying a foundation for the later suture workshops using pig’s feet for one event, and a
more advanced cadaveric suture workshop mid-way through the year. We also had events such as our banana suturing social to keep
those skills fresh. Collaborative meetings with other student clubs such as emergency medicine focused on wound dehiscence and
management. As well, our members have been active in the community through outreach to other universities in Phoenix. The knot
tying/suture workshop for undergraduate pre-med students was a great success.
Upcoming for this year, we have our airway management, central line, and catheterization workshop. We’ll also be back in the anatomy lab to learn how to open/assist during an abdominal surgery. Back to our community efforts, we’ll be having a booth to benefit
the March of Dimes and Locks of Love. Our part in the event will be teaching kids the basics of what is found inside the body in an fun
and interactive way. A fourth year panel for members, a current resident, and multiple speakers who are currently in practice will be
sharing their experiences in their field.
For those of us at SOSA AZCOM planning to attend the conference at PCOM, we are extremely excited to join up with other chapters
and meet our national colleagues!
Touro Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine
Touro University Nevada’s SOSA chapter had an exciting year indeed! Starting in January, we had a presentation from Dr. Yogesh
Patel M.D., a private practice general surgeon, who talked about the process of becoming a surgeon. He certainly didn’t sugar-coat it
for us. He explained in detail how if we want to make a name for ourselves in our respective communities, we would spend the first
few years getting our name out there by running around to all the hospitals in the area to perform as many appendectomies and
cholecystectomies as we could. Once our skills and reputation were finally known, then we could have more discretion and input on
the type of work we would do.
Next in the calendar came residency matching. In 2012, 3 Touro Nevada graduates matched General Surgery, 6 matched Orthopedic
Surgery, 1 matched Urology, and 1 matched Ophthalmology. In April, three of them held a Q and A session that lasted for almost 4
hours.
As part of our 2012 initiative, SOSA implemented a new training program to prepare members and other students for Surgery Clerkships in the 3rd and 4th year. The unique aspect of this new program was that all of the lectures are performed by members of SOSA.
With the idea that you never learn something as well as when you teach it, students prepared presentations on surgical specialties,
suturing, scrub-in, post-operative management, OR etiquette, and OMM for surgical patients. The presentations, of course, were reviewed by our faculty.
Using the training paradigm of “watch one, do one, teach one”, our members received a lecture on the different types of sutures and
needles, what they are for, and different suturing techniques. Two nights of suturing labs were held to accommodate all of the interested students. Following that experience, students had the opportunity to volunteer as instructors for our clinics for the UNLV PreMed Club. These SOSA-hosted Suture Clinics, held both in March and again in November, trained over 100 of UNLV’s Pre-Med Club
students in simple interrupted, running, and vertical mattress sutures with another 70 scheduled for our clinic this semester.
We also held a presentation on scrub-in and sterile technique with a clinic that same evening. For those who wanted more in-depth
training on suturing, we also held an advanced suture clinic which covered techniques such as horizontal mattress and vertical mattress
sutures, locking sutures, and how to perform hand ties.
Other presentations included a summary of Surgical Specialties and Post-Operative Management of the Surgical Patient. The Surgical
Specialties talk provided a wealth of information to members regarding pathways through surgical residencies and fellowships including the number and location of residency programs as well as match statistics. The Post-Operative Management talk was targeted to
prepare students for the many post-operative tubes, drains, and monitoring lines that they will encounter in the ICU and other hospital
departments during their Surgical Clerkships.
For the Fall 2012 SOSA National Conference in Chicago, Touro University Nevada was a well-represented chapter with 9 members in
attendance. During the social event that Saturday night at Rock Bottom Bar and Grill, at one point we counted as many Touro students
as students from all other programs combined. Our enthusiastic conference attendance is due in part to our chapter welcoming 36
new members, making us the 5th largest club at Touro.
Adjacent to the Touro Nevada campus is a teaching facility that has a 50 seat surgical amphitheater. At 18,000-square-feet it is one of
the largest of its kind in the United States. This institute “gives surgeons the opportunity to practice new and evolving surgical techniques on donor bodies prior to ever entering the operating room.” Typically these training sessions are used to instruct newer surgeons or surgeons new to a particular procedure, introduce surgeons to emerging surgical practices, and introduce surgeons to newly
developed technologies. Fortunately, SOSA members, after going through orientation training, have been invited to shadow some
training sessions for attending surgeons performing hip arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, and spinal surgery procedures. We anticipate that these unique opportunities will continue through the coming year for our members, subject of course to the training facility’s
schedule and available space.
Throughout 2012, our SOSA chapter has remained active in the broader community. To help the indigent population of Las Vegas,
SOSA held a Clothing Drive that brought in over 20 pounds of clothes for donation. SOSA members continually participate in other
service and volunteer activities, including Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Three Square Food Bank, and helping staff the medical tents for
the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and Las Vegas Marathon.
As 2013 forges forward here are a few of the events that we look forward to: suture clinics, scrub-in clinics, OMT Following Surgery
presentation from Dr. Ptak D.O. (Family Medicine and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine & OMM), the Spring Convention in Philadelphia, and the Fall Convention in Las Vegas.
SOSA Faculty Advisor, Dr. Emmett Findlay,
demonstrating how to perform a hand-tie
2011-2012 SOSA President, Yen Ha, practicing
advanced suture techniques
Dr. Preddy, ER Physician, assisting with
the advanced suture clinic
UNLV undergrads learning basic
suturing techniques
Dr. Ronald Hedger, demonstrating basic suture
techniques
Touro Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine cont.
Students practicing scrubbing
-in, gowning and gloving
Providing support at the medical
tents for the Las Vegas Rock n Roll
Marathon
Didactic presentation of
Scrub-In
Fall SOSA Convention in Chicago:
Lincoln Park Zoo
Fall SOSA Convention in Chicago:
Saturday night rooftop at Rock Bottom Bar and Grill
Touro University Nevada contingent of the
Fall SOSA Convention in Chicago
ADDENDUM
Some feedback from our members regarding the Fall SOSA Convention:
“The SOSA Fall Convention was a particular highlight in my first semester of medical school.”
“The Chicago conference was great. Being the first medical conference I have ever attended, it was a great eye opener into
the professional arena of surgeons.”
“The conference gave me perspective into my future as a physician and possible paths I can take.”
“The one-on-one conversations I engaged with the various speakers I found to be of particular value. Speakers demonstrated
the value and purpose of their specific fields with passion and professionalism which spoke to my interests and have motivated me to pursue more active roles within my chapter.”
“It was exciting to learn about the resources SOSA offers to its members at the national level. Being able to meet program
directors, learn about the application process, and being in the loop about decisions made on the national stage showed me
the value of the club in advancing all of our careers.”
Philadelphia College of Medicine
The Daniel L. Wisely Surgical Association
Fall Lecture/Workshop Series
Cardiothoracic Surgery in Developing Nations: Gift of Life International (GOLI) October 10, 2012 @ 5pm, Ginsburg Auditorium
GOLI is an organization providing cardiac surgery and care to children with congenital heart defects in developing
countries. Dr. Pierantonio Russo and Piero Corrado will tell you about their organization, the types of cardiac surgeries
they perform, and how to get involved.
Pierantonio Russo, MD, Adjunct Professor Biotechnology Piero Corrado, Chairman of Gift of Life International
Temple University, Philadelphia-Director Cardiac Surgery
*Partnering Student Organizations: SOMA, PHR, Public Health Club, LMSA
Boards Preparation Seminar: Monday, October 15, 2012 @5pm, Location TBD
*Partnering Student Organization: CMA
Worried about preparing for the Board Exam? Are you hearing many different study techniques from many different
people and don’t know what to do? Having just been through the experience a few months ago, Former President of
the WSA, Matthew Betz, and Joseph Vojtko will speak to second year WSA members about their experience with board
preparation and offer some insight to preparing for rotations. Second year WSA members are required to register on
the Google doc.
Suturing Clinic and Surgical Residency Talk: Thursday, November 15, 2012 @ 5pm, Location TBD
Dr. Carmen Piccolo, DO, will teach the students a variety of suturing techniques and discuss how to best prepare for life
as a surgical residency and what you can do in your years as a student to secure your spot! Suturing will be conducted
on pig feet and all supplies will be provided. A registration form will be distributed before 11/15 via email.
Carmen Piccolo, DO
PCOM Surgery Resident, PGY-5
Robotic Surgery in Obstetrics: Wednesday November 28, 2012, Time and Location TBD
*Partnering Student Organization: Ob/Gyn Club
Dr. Christine Ellis will present various aspects of robotic surgery and its application in obstetrics. Her special areas of
expertise are Obstetrics and Gynecology, with special interests in laparoscopic surgery, medical and surgical
management of uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts and endometriosis and in the care of perimenopausal women. Dr. Ellis
practices at Associates for Women's Medicine, with offices in ExtonLionville and West Chester.
Dr. Christine E. Ellis, MD, FACOG
Associaties for Women’s Medicine
Orthopedic Surgery and Running Your Own Practice: December 11, 2012 @ 5:30p, Location TBD
*Partnering Student Organization: Business in Medicine Club
Dr. Kalman is a Board Certified Orthopaedic surgeon and fellowship trained in Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic surgery
and is the co-founder of the Morgan Kalman Clinic. In addition to the various aspects of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr.
Kalman will describe the challenges and rewards to owning a practice in the surgical setting.
Victor R. Kalman, DO, FAOAO
Morgan Kalman Clinic
Additional Learning Resources:
Weekly Rounds – Students can sign-up for rounds at Roxborough Memorial Hospital on Monday & Thursday of each week by registering in Nucleus.
Grand Rounds – Every Tuesday starting at 9:30 am in Room 334 (Evan's Hall). Grand rounds include student case presentations and lectures led by
residents. Grand Rounds last for about 2 hours but you can stay for as long or as little as you
want, just enter and exit quietly. The dress code is
casual; therefore you do not need to wear your white coats.
The Simulation Center will be accommodating students interested in learning about a variety of
different surgical procedures through simulation.
Our simulators offer a diverse array of training modalities, such as the InsightArthroVR Orthopaedic, ANGIO Mentor, LAP Mentor, and the much
anticipated RoSS Simulator and Cut Suit!!
Suturing Boards! – New members should be on the lookout for
an email with information on how to obtain your free suturing
board!
Contact [email protected] with any comments/questions/suggestions!
William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
This past school year has been a wonderful one for the SOSA chapter at WCUCOM. In only our third year of the club we recruited 31
new members, bringing the total up to 85! We had 6 members join the SOSA Fall Convention in Chicago and return raving about all
the activities they enjoyed.
As a local chapter, we have added surgical videos correlating to the current anatomy block to our meetings with the help of Delores
White, DO and Beth Longenecker, DO. In November we held a Women in Surgery Q&A Panel with Dr. White, Kate Aseme, MD and
the local American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) chapter. We also held our Fall suture clinic in October with assistance from
physicians and surgeons from the Hattiesburg, MS area. Among our guest instructors was Dr. Joe Varner who assisted Dr. James Hardy
with the first ever heart transplant in Jackson, MS. Plans are underway for our Spring suture clinic.
Earlier this semester we held a Southern Food Luncheon Fundraiser which was very successful. Proceeds of event went to the Alzheimer's Association. Other plans for the Spring include an "Ins and Outs of Medicine" lecture form the perspective of a gastroenterologist and pulmonologist, another visit from Dr. Aseme who will present on trauma surgery, an orthopedic surgery & sports medicine talk with Rick Margaitis, DO and Thomas Baylis, MD and of course the election of new officers.
Overall, we are a flourishing chapter at WCUCOM and plan to continue having a great year!
Chapter President
Janette Gomez, OMS III
with Sandi Holden,
OMS II visiting the ACS
Clinical Congress while
in Chicago for the SOSA
Fall Convention
Officers: Janette Gomez, President;
Moiz Siddiqui, Vice President; Caitlin
Prickett, Secretary; Brent Arnold,
Treasurer; Shannon Carroll, National
Liaison
Jon Chan, OMS II, Dr. Piper, Dr. White, and Charlie
Busby, OMS II at Fall Suture Clinic
Pacific Northwest University College of Medicine
PNWU has been very busy! They held their final meeting and elections at the end of the 2012 school year. Their initial meeting at the
beginning of the 2012-2013 school year started with introductions of officers, planning events, and activities. Unfortunately, their
suture clinic was cancelled at the last minute due. Despite this, they are moving forward without a hitch and have future plans for a
suture clinic and a clinic on scrubbing, gowning, gloving, and OR etiquette.
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
So far this year, CCOM SOSA has had some exciting fundraising opportunities and talks to begin our school year. The first events that
our group participated in were two mock Anatomy practicals for the first year class. The SOSA E-board along with dedicated 2nd year
members and generous members of the CCOM class of 2015 set up a realistic example of what the first years would experience on
their 1st and 2nd Anatomy practicals. We set up the lab and tagged structures in a way that was as similar to the real anatomy practical
as possible. We then allows time after the mock practical for the first years to ask us question about the practical, anatomy in general,
or medical school.
The second event that SOSA participated in was a lunch time lecture on “Medical Support for the War Fighter,” presented by Dr.
Douglas Robb, D.O. is a CCOM Graduate and the Joint Staff Surgeon at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA. He detailed the route of an
injured soldier from injury in the field to the trip back to the United States. He demonstrated that medical support for our wounded
soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines is a Team Effort: from tactical combat casualty care at the point of injury to far forward resuscitation/
surgery in austere locations to critical-care-in-the-air with flying ICUs onboard helicopters and cargo planes, these life saving efforts
by our military medics have contributed to the lowest died of wounds rate for our warriors in the history of conflict.
For our future events we have scheduled a lunch time lecture (March 7th) from Dr. Michael Tucheck D.O., a cardiothoracic surgeon and
CCOM graduate. He will be speaking about exciting developments in the field of cardiothoracic surgery, while applying Cardiovascular System anatomy learned by the students. We will also be sponsoring our annual suturing clinic in the spring guided by Emergency
Medicine physicians, Urologists, and Urology Residents. This event normally coincides with a Urology Residency presentation and Q
and A session. We also participate in a Surgery Match Panel to allow student to speak with 4 th years that matched into Surgery Residency programs.