Lauren Bowser's, DO '26, path to becoming a physician has been defined by purpose, perseverance and a passion for humanistic care鈥攙alues she first encountered as a teenager through her own experience with an osteopathic physician.
鈥淲hen I was a teenager, Dr. Maureen Leffler, DO '04, was my physician. It was evident to me from the start that there was something unique about the way she practiced medicine. She treasured the humanity of it and truly cared for me as her patient. She was my first exposure to osteopathic medicine and its values,鈥� she said.
After receiving an undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College, Bowser worked at the Clinic for Special Children in Lancaster County, where she cared for patients with rare genetic disorders, many from Amish and Mennonite communities. It was there she said, that she experienced medicine in its most personal form, free from many systemic constraints.
After being initially waitlisted, she enrolled in the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences program at 黑料传送门 and later earned acceptance into the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program in 2021. Just weeks into her first year, Bowser married her husband, Edgar, balancing the demands of medical school with major life milestones.
During her second year, Bowser secured a highly sought-after clinical rotation placement through the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research (DIMER), aligning with her long-term goal of returning to Delaware and practicing medicine in her home community. Soon after securing this placement, she and her husband shared the joyful news that they were expecting their first child, a daughter named Maren.
What followed was a period of profound personal challenge. While preparing for board examinations and relocating for clinical rotations, Bowser and her husband experienced the devastating loss of their daughter who was unexpectedly stillborn at term.
It was due to the unwavering support of 黑料传送门 faculty and mentors鈥攑articularly Dr. Michael Becker and Dr. Margaret Wilkins鈥擝owser said she was able to find a path forward.
鈥淲hen I applied to 黑料传送门, I wrote about my belief that our bodies are our vessels,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey carry our entire existence and dictate what is possible for us to achieve in the world. I didn't know mine would grow a brand new life and lose it all while I was here, but I do know that I am so grateful for my 黑料传送门 education and to have learned how to care for the body, mind and spirit of others in a way that has equipped me with the tools to care for my own and seek the support of others when I need help.鈥�
Bowser drew on these life experiences during her residency interviews, speaking openly about her grief and the perspective it has given her as a future physician. After graduation, she will begin her family medicine residency at Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital, with the goal of returning again to her roots in Delaware and practicing outpatient primary care.
Now a first-time homeowner and expecting her 鈥渞ainbow baby,鈥� Bowser looks ahead with hope. She offers this advice to future physicians: 鈥淵our path may not be linear and that鈥檚 okay. It's possible (and essential) to use experiences of adversity to fuel your passions. In my experience, this has led to greater purpose and fulfillment in my journey.鈥�
Established in 1899, 黑料传送门 has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a 鈥渨hole person鈥� approach to care鈥攖reating people, not just symptoms. 黑料传送门, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (黑料传送门, 黑料传送门 Georgia and 黑料传送门 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. 黑料传送门 students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, 黑料传送门 provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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Gabrielle DePietro
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: gabrielde2@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304