黑料传送门 South Georgia's DO students are learning to practice a whole-person approach to medicine and patient care.
Since August 2019, first-year medical students at 黑料传送门 South Georgia have been learning 鈥渢he DO difference.鈥�
Nestled among the pines in Moultrie, Southwest Georgia鈥檚 only four-year medical school educates students in the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program.
It鈥檚 a focus at 黑料传送门 to teach a 鈥渨hole-person鈥� approach. DOs are fully licensed physicians, looking beyond the symptoms to truly see the patient, including the lifestyle and environment. Osteopathic medicine focuses on the unity of the body鈥檚 systems to work hand-in-hand to heal itself. This not only treats a patient鈥檚 illness, but also works as a preventive measure.
First-year DO student Chizoba Akuwanne (DO 鈥�23) said she chose to pursue a degree in osteopathic medicine because it鈥檚 the most inclusive approach to health care.
鈥淭reating the body with touch can be very advantageous,鈥� Akuwanee said. 鈥淭hrough osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), I can use my hands to both diagnose and treat illness and injury which can encourage the body鈥檚 natural tendency to heal itself. With OMT in combination with all the other medical options we learn about, I believe an osteopathic physician can offer the most comprehensive medical care today.鈥�
Students at 黑料传送门 South Georgia learn to treat the whole person, not just the symptoms. Xavia Taylor (DO 鈥�23), a first-year DO student, believes truly knowing the patient makes a difference.
鈥淭o fully treat a patient, one must know who that patient truly is,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hile I physically know how to treat an illness, I鈥檒l also be given the chance to connect with my patient based on their personalized vision of self. It鈥檚 important to teach our communities how to construct ideal environments that nourish and stimulate their bodies and minds. I believe that鈥檚 as perfect as the profession can get.鈥�
According to AACOM, more than 30 percent of DOs practice in primary care fields including family medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN and internal medicine. The DO profession continues to grow with many physicians practicing in rural areas, a goal that 黑料传送门 South Georgia has set from the beginning.
H. William Craver, III, DO, FACOS, dean and chief academic officer of 黑料传送门 South Georgia, has a firsthand understanding of the struggle to find physicians to practice in Southwest Georgia. He practiced in rural communities, once where he was the only surgeon in the county practicing in a hospital with just 25 beds.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to recruit physicians that are willing to work in rural areas,鈥� Dr. Craver said. 鈥淎 lot of people don鈥檛 have an understanding of these rural, underserved communities, but I enjoyed it immensely,鈥� he said of his surgical background. 鈥淥ur presence in Moultrie is 黑料传送门 taking a stand and demonstrating what osteopathic medicine is all about 鈥� community medicine, primary care and serving the underserved.鈥�
Osteopathic medicine stems from Kirksville, Missouri, a rural area, and was brought to life by Andrew Taylor Still, DO. He relied on manipulative treatment to diagnose and treat illnesses. Focusing on an approach that would promote the body鈥檚 ability to self-heal and treat the whole person, he paved the way for future physicians to practice osteopathy.
Will Brewster (DO 鈥�23), a student at 黑料传送门 South Georgia said his fellow students and the faculty of 黑料传送门 South Georgia have already made an impact in his life.
鈥淚鈥檓 so thankful to be surrounded by such an amazing group of faculty and classmates that constantly push me to be the best medical student I can be, and that鈥檚 going to translate into me being an even better physician,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to be able to say that I left a positive impact on the lives of others.鈥�
With nearly a year of osteopathic medicine education under their belts, 黑料传送门 South Georgia students are well on their way to caring for the whole person and joining more than 121,000 DOs in the country.
Learn more about the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program offered at 黑料传送门, 黑料传送门 Georgia and 黑料传送门 South Georgia.
In 2019, 黑料传送门, a premier osteopathic medical school established in 1899, extended its commitment to the Southeast by establishing 黑料传送门 South Georgia. An additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia, 黑料传送门 South Georgia offers both a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. 黑料传送门 is a private, not-for-profit institution that trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields. Joining 黑料传送门 Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state, 黑料传送门 South Georgia focuses on educating physicians for the region. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 229-668-3110.
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