Welcome to Region I

Duquesne University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hello from the Duquesne University Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine chapter of SOMA!
Located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we are one of the newest chapters
in Region I, having been established in Spring 2025. As one of the nation’s newest colleges of
osteopathic medicine, we are excited to foster a culture of leadership, advocacy, and service
both within our local community and on a national level.

Our chapter offers students opportunities to become involved through educational speaker
events, advocacy initiatives, community outreach, mentorship, and professional development.
Throughout the year, we facilitate presentations on topics such as harm reduction and addiction
medicine, as well as COMLEX preparation sessions. We also partner with Duquesne
University’s pre-SOMA program to provide mentorship opportunities for undergraduate
students. As our chapter continues to grow, we look forward to expanding our impact on
campus, strengthening our ties to the greater Pittsburgh community, and empowering
osteopathic medical students to become leaders and advocates for the profession!

LAKE ERIE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE – ERIE CAMPUS

We are located in Erie, Pennsylvania where it never stops snowing. Our SOMA chapter hosts a variety of events through our local board to promote the pillars of SOMA through student engagement and community outreach. We also directly support students through LECOM small tool sales, H&P practical reviews, and panels with local physicians/leaders in our community.

Community Outreach

We have several partnerships with local organizations that help LECOM students get involved in our community. We recently worked with the Erie Children’s Museum to host educational sessions about various health topics such as UV protection. Our SOMA chapter also works with the VA center to host game nights to connect with veterans and show appreciation for their service. Beyond these activities, we are proud to create opportunities for our members to get involved and support the community, such as food drives for the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Upper Room of Erie.

Pre-SOMA

LECOM Erie SOMA hosts monthly review sessions with our Master of Medical Science (MMS) students to prepare for upcoming exams. We also meet with local high school students to discuss the opportunity to join Pre-SOMA upon entering undergraduate and advocate on the importance of osteopathic physicians in our community. We are excited to continue to grow our relationships with future aspiring physicians and open their eyes to the opportunities that Pre-SOMA and osteopathic medicine have to offer.

As we enter the upcoming academic year, we are eager to add more engagements to enable our students to become advocates for osteopathic medicine, connect with our local community, and grow into the future osteopathic physicians they are striving to become. To follow along with our events, please connect with our social media as we go through this year!

LAKE ERIE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE – ELMIRA

We are LECOM-Elmira, and we are located in Elmira, New York. Known as “The Queen City” of New York’s Southern Tier region, Elmira possesses all the small-town charm expected from a community so steeped in history and culture. Because of this, our SOMA has the opportunity to be involved in all kinds of activities. Newly added as an official SOMA Chapter in October 2022, we are excited to offer various SOMA activities to our members!

Here in Elmira, we utilize a Problem-Based Learning modality, which lets students make the most of their time. This enables us to explore the surrounding Finger Lakes region, gain early clinical experiences, and volunteer with community groups with whom we can truly connect. Our SOMA chapter is dedicated to facilitating student growth through community relations and professional development while helping students actualize their role as advocates in their community!

LAKE ERIE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE – SETON HILL CAMPUS

We are the LECOM–Seton Hill SOMA chapter, located on the Seton Hill University campus in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Greensburg is a small city approximately 45 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, giving our chapter the opportunity to serve both the local community and the greater Pittsburgh area through a variety of service, advocacy, and educational initiatives.

Community service is a cornerstone of our chapter. We have partnered with the Westmoreland Food Bank to help address food insecurity through food collection drives and volunteer service. Each year, we also collaborate with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) to host a bone marrow donor registration drive, helping expand the national donor registry and raise awareness about the importance of stem cell donation. We also partner with the Griswold Home Care in Greensburg to provide companionship, support, and meaningful connections for seniors who may be experiencing loneliness or social isolation. Throughout the year, we also organize multiple fundraising initiatives, including LECOM apparel sales and medical equipment drives to support our chapter and members!

In addition to community outreach, we are committed to fostering wellness, mentorship, and academic success among our members. We host wellness events that encourage balance and connection throughout medical school, Naloxone training events to practice administering in emergency situations, organize course review sessions, and facilitate mock History & Physical (H&P) OSCEs to help students prepare for coursework and clinical skills assessments. We are also proud to have helped establish the Seton Hill University PreSOMA chapter and look forward to continuing our mentorship program, supporting future osteopathic physicians as they begin their journeys into medicine.

MERITUS SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

Hello from the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine SOMA! As the first new medical school in Maryland in over 100 years, MSOM holds a unique place in the landscape of osteopathic medical education. Located in Hagerstown, Maryland, we are proud to be training the next generation of DOs right here in the heart of the state. As a newly established chapter, we are building something special from the ground up and community is at the center of everything we do. From professional development events like our student headshot initiative to hands-on community outreach in downtown Hagerstown, we are committed to making an impact both within our school and beyond its walls. With our second incoming class joining us soon, we are only just getting started. We are excited to grow this chapter, follow the passions of our members, and show what MSOM SOMA is capable of!

NYITCOM OLD WESTBURY

Hello from NYITCOM-OW! Our chapter’s goal is to introduce medical students to SOMA. We aim to educate students about their role in health advocacy, inform students of the opportunities available to them through community leadership, and promote meaningful involvement opportunities.

Throughout the year, we host a variety of events designed to support our students, including review sessions for core courses, mentorship opportunities, physician networking events, and social gatherings that help strengthen connections across all class years. We are also committed to serving our local community through volunteer initiatives, charity fundraisers, and wellness events that encourage students to make a meaningful impact outside the classroom. As advocates for the osteopathic profession, we strive to develop future physician leaders through education, community engagement, and service while creating an inclusive environment where every student can become involved especially through OMM workshops and panels with pre-soma students. Follow along on Instagram, @nyitcomsoma to see our events, advocacy initiatives, and the many ways our members are making a difference throughout the year!

PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (PCOM)

Hello from the City of Brotherly Love! The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) SOMA chapter is proudly located in the west side of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Throughout the academic year, we host a variety of events aimed at supporting our students and the Philadelphia community. These include an equipment sale for incoming first-year students, as well as a scrub sale open to all health professional students. In collaboration with other student groups, we organize fundraisers and service initiatives that directly benefit our city. Our chapter is actively involved in our campus’s cultural competency programming, working to foster cultural humility and awareness of important social issues within our student body. Additionally, we coordinate Pre-SOMA events with local institutions to promote awareness and appreciation of osteopathic medicine.

We look forward to building on these initiatives and continuing another successful year!

ROWANSOM

Hello from RowanSOM’s chapter of SOMA! We are dedicated to helping the community within and surrounding our campus. We also provide information about national events, such as DO Day on Capitol Hill, OMED, available national SOMA scholarships, and more.

Every year, Rowan SOMA chapter hosts many fundraiser events such as Halloween for the Hungry, where medical students trick-or-treat for canned goods and other non-perishable items and donate them to Philabundance, a non-profit food bank. This year, students picked up the donated items at the doorsteps of people’s home in a COVID-friendly manner. SOMA also held several other events including Mentor of the Year, virtual policy writing events, healthcare speakers, book drive, journal club and a virtual charcuterie board making class to help students de-stress. In addition, SOMA created a partnership with a local college and started a mentorship program with undergraduate students.

TOUROCOM HARLEM

Located in the heart of Harlem, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine is deeply rooted in community engagement and preparing future physicians to become leaders in service and advocacy. Our SOMA chapter is proud to support that mission by creating opportunities for students to grow professionally, connect with one another, and make a meaningful impact both on campus and in the surrounding community.

Throughout the year, we organize programs that directly support our students, including our annual Physical Diagnosis Equipment Drive, which helps incoming OMS-I students purchase their required clinical equipment at discounted prices before classes begin. We also host social and professional events that foster community within our school, from welcoming new students during orientation to encouraging participation in leadership and advocacy opportunities.

Service and collaboration are central to who we are. During National Osteopathic Medicine Week, we partnered with several student organizations to host Doctor for a Day, giving local high school students the opportunity to explore anatomy and simulation labs while learning about careers in osteopathic medicine. We also worked together to assemble hygiene kits for a local shelter, reinforcing our commitment to serving the Harlem community. Beyond DO Week, our chapter regularly collaborates with organizations across campus on educational programs, wellness initiatives, and community outreach events. We also encourage students to attend DO Day, where they advocate for healthcare policy and experience firsthand the role osteopathic physicians play in shaping the future of medicine.

As our chapter continues to grow, we remain committed to advancing the principles of osteopathic medicine through leadership, advocacy, service, and collaboration while building a strong, supportive community for every student at TouroCOM Harlem.

TOUROCOM MIDDLETOWN

Hello from the TouroCOM-Middletown chapter of SOMA! We’re one of two TouroCOM campuses in New York State, nestled in the beautiful Hudson Valley at the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains.

At TouroCOM Middletown, we’re passionate about osteopathic medicine and the impact we can have on our community, both locally and beyond. We strive to stay involved however we can, through community service, advocacy, research, and mentorship. We’re proud to be one of the most active organizations on campus, bringing students together and providing support throughout their time at TouroCOM.

In recent years, we’ve deepened our roots in the Middletown community. We’re proud supporters of Run4Downtown, an event dedicated to revitalizing Middletown’s downtown community. We also participate in local health fairs and regularly team up with other organizations across Touro for community service projects that make a real difference for our neighbors, such as middle school menstrual hygiene kits.

To help support our incoming first years, we run a medical equipment drive, making the transition to medical school easier. On campus, we host an annual research symposium where our members present and share their own research, fostering a culture of academic curiosity alongside clinical training. We’ve also continued growing our Pre-SOMA outreach, partnering with local high schools and colleges to host tours and events for pre-med students. Sharing our passion for osteopathic medicine with the next generation of future physicians is one of our favorite parts of being involved in SOMA!

Our senior officers and chairs are excited to keep building on these connections and look forward to another year of impactful events on campus and throughout the Hudson Valley community!

UNECOM

Hello from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine SOMA! As one of the most active student organizations at UNECOM, we are proud of the impact we have had in the school community as well as in southern Maine and New England. We are the only osteopathic medical school in New England, as well as the only medical school in the beautiful state of Maine. Our campus is a wonderful place to learn, study, and grow. We’re proud to be osteopathic student doctors and love welcoming new members! Our main goals are education and advocacy. Every year we put on many events including a CV writing workshop, a Resolution writing seminar, Pre-SOMA day, and have strong attendance at DO Day on the Hill. This past year we’ve worked with other clubs and organizations to host educational seminars on cultivating leadership skills, fighting antisemitism, increasing bone marrow donor registration within our community, and many more. We are always looking to follow the passions of our members and cannot wait to see what this year has in store!