PCOM’s Third-Annual Visual Arts Contest Showcases Campus-Wide Creativity
February 21, 2020
On Wednesday, February 19, 2020, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) hosted its third annual Visual Arts Contest awards reception. This year’s contest
included 90 submissions from members of the PCOM community in the categories of painting/drawing,
photography and other mediums. PCOM community members were given the opportunity to
pick their favorite pieces and over 200 votes were cast.
The coordinator of this event Ruth Conboy, DNP, personal support counselor, Office
of Student Affairs, touched on the importance of incorporating art and culture into
the fabric of student life. “This contest is our annual opportunity to showcase the
creativity we have here on campus. As we continue to expand the humanities-focused
opportunities available to students, we further exemplify our commitment to 'whole
person' education,” she said.
Natalie O’Toole (DO ’22), who won for her sculpture titled, The Sacrimice: Tribute to the Lab Mouse, shared how the collaboration of arts and medicine has helped her in her studies.
“In medical school, it can be easy to get hyper focused on the main goal: to become
a great doctor. Engagement in the arts can help broaden this often-narrow perspective
to create more well-rounded, interesting students.
“Last year, I participated in PCOM's 'Medicine and the Arts' program at the Barnes Foundation, where my classmates and I analyzed paintings and applied
the principles we learned to our future careers in medicine,” O’Toole continued.
Cory German, PA ’20, also shared how art has influenced his life. “For me, photography
provides an outlet for creativity and imagination that is a contrast to the objective
nature of medicine. It’s a stress relief and a way to express myself,” he said. Mr.
German’s piece titled, Diamond Beach, was the winner in the photography category.
Gabrielle Mamo (DO ’22) also won for her painting titled Heart Attack.
About Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained
thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral
scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just
symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education,
operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic
medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers
graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical
sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling,
physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance
of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its
community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations.
For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.