Last week, over 1600 students across grades K-12 attended the 47th annual Gwinnett County Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair, the largest regional fair in the country dedicated to educating the next generation STEM workforce.
Celebrating its 10th year as a presenting sponsor, PCOM Georgia sent over 60 volunteers including students, faculty and staff to participate in various events as judges, healthcare panelists, and workshop staffers. Some PCOM Georgia-centric activities included a bone-digging game, stethoscope decorating, and interactive fun with the PCOM Georgia Simbulance.
“The elementary students loved the interactive games and were laughing, fully engaged, and asking countless questions,” said Kim Lucier, director of campus operations.
“Teachers and chaperones praised the event for keeping kids excited about science and medicine,” Lucier added. “It's crucial for young children to connect with relatable role models like our students. These experiences spark curiosity, build confidence, and show them what's possible in the world of science and medicine.”
For the middle school-aged students, Dr. Christy Dinkins, assistant director of Campus and Community Partnerships, and her team coordinated a Health Careers Mystery Challenge where students were divided into teams and tasked with spinning a wheel and answering health career related riddles with guidance from PCOM staff members and student pathways mentors.
A seventh grade teacher who chaperoned the fair shared that of all the years she has been attending this event, the Health Careers Mystery Challenge was the best breakout session she has seen to date and marveled at the level of engagement from the students.
PCOM Georgia students across all programs also provided peer-on-peer mentoring for high school students, educating them on each of the College's programs and how a passion for science can turn into a medical career.
“Being a doctor is a dream a lot of kids have growing up so it's great for these young students to hear from student doctors that a medical career is possible and available in their own backyard,” said Andrea Mann, DO, FAAP, dean and chief academic officer of PCOM Georgia's Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program.
This year's fair featured more than 800 science projects produced by over 115 students across elementary, middle and high schools, with categories ranging from Biomedical Engineering, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Environmental Engineering, and Robotics & Intelligent Machines.
On March 7, PCOM Georgia will host the regional science fair awards night. This is the third year the College has hosted the awards ceremony as it's been a great way to increase the campus' visibility among its neighboring communities. The ceremony is set to bring over 300 science fair award recipients and their guests to the campus, and for some Gwinnett County residents, it will be their first introduction to PCOM Georgia.
“Since PCOM Georgia's inception, it has been our mission to forge strong community relationships in Gwinnett County, " shared Dr. Mann. “Partnerships like the Gwinnett Science Fair have allowed us to live out our mission of serving the health needs of our community and has opened the door for us to collaborate on other initiatives across the district.”
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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