Area high school students gather on stage during the PCOM Georgia Opportunities Academy.
PCOM Georgia recently hosted its annual Opportunities Academy, a week-long enrichment program designed to inspire high school students from traditionally underrepresented groups who are interested in studying health care and medicine.
“Serving as a lead mentor for Opportunities Academy is one of the most rewarding experiences during my tenure at PCOM GA,” said Alani Gauthier (MS/Biomed ‘24). “It brings me so much joy to witness the character development of the students and to see the passion each of them carries to become a healthcare leader.”
The week consisted of over 60 students sitting in on different presentations and engaging in hands-on activities covering osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), pathology, microbiology, blood typing, anatomy, and physiology.
Among the students who took part in the program was Ramin Sarkar, a rising senior at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology who hopes to pursue a college degree in neuroscience. “I really liked all of the hands-on interactive activities, they were really fun.”
Other events throughout the week included a College Fair for the students to meet with other local university representatives, a lively field day, and a graduation ceremony celebrating the students’ completion of the program.
“Our goal is to inspire and equip prospective students with the knowledge and confidence they need to pursue careers in health care,” said Dr. Christy Finley, Assistant Director of Diversity and Community Partnerships. “Their enthusiasm and dedication throughout the week was incredible to see, marking it a core memory in my professional career.”
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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