Lauren Noto-Bell, DO ‘06, FNAOME, AOBNMM, AOBFP, AOBPMEC, is a professor, clinician and faculty member in PCOM’s department of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). As we celebrate Women in Medicine Month this September, Noto-Bell looks ahead with optimism that women will continue to achieve leadership roles in medicine in the future.
In the photo on the left, David Heilig, DO '44, was featured on the cover of the Winter 1986 issue of Digest Magazine after being named the recipient of the OJ Snyder Award. In the photo on the right, Noto-Bell is posed with a patient in 2024.
Comparing the two photos, Noto-Bell remarked that it made her feel humbled and honored to see herself in a similar position as Dr. Heilig.
“To paraphrase the centuries-old quote, ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants’, and Dr. Heilig was certainly among the biggest,” said Noto-Bell. “The impact he's had on osteopathic medicine, particularly the discipline of Osteopathic Principles and Practice, is still felt today 20-plus years after his passing, and his accomplishments have allowed younger physicians like me to have an easier path in many respects.”
Noto-Bell recalled a time that she saw a patient early in her career who had been a former patient of Dr. Heilig.
I hope we continue to strive for comradery and excellence and never lose sight of what the "O" in PCOM means.
Dr. Lauren Noto-Bell
“During the visit, the patient had said, ‘You did that just like Dr. Heilig would … That's a really good thing.’ That made my whole week! So to recreate a similar photo of his is humbling and heart-warming all over again.”
Noto-Bell said she hopes that she, too, has left a positive impact on her students, residents, and patients—“especially as related to an appreciation for osteopathic medicine and the care and compassion that goes with teaching and applying it,” she said.
Women in Medicine Month is celebrated annually in September and recognizes the achievements of women in health care, promotes gender equity, and encourages more women to pursue medical careers while highlighting the importance of diversity in healthcare leadership.
Looking to the future, Noto-Bell shared her hopes that medicine will continue to evolve for the better. “Since the original photo, it is much less unusual to see a woman in that position. Contemporary medical school classes are gender-split down the middle, and more women are achieving leadership roles in medicine, which I hope continues.”
Though there is now a “single unified pathway to medical residency,” Noto-Bell said that she still sees prejudice against osteopathic medical students and residents for certain avenues of endeavors. “PCOM is certainly a different educational institution from when the original photo was taken,” she said. “I hope we continue to strive for comradery and excellence and never lose sight of what the "O" in PCOM means.”
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