CHAPTER SUMMARIES

October 2001

San Fransisco CONVENTION

 

ALPHA CHAPTER(KIRKSVILLE COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE)

 

  This past year has been a successful year here at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. We served in various areas of our community, including the Twin Pines Retirement Home, the local YMCA, and the Truman State University Center for Development of Children. Additionally, we focused on serving our fellow classmates. This was accomplished through our annual book drive and the presentation of Glaxo Wellcome's Pathways Evaluation Program.
  While we consider last year to be a year of success, we are using this year to further develop our niche within the school and within Kirksville. We are excited about carrying on our traditional projects and are even more elated about adding new, innovative ideas to that list. We will be presenting health and wellness seminars to high school youth, working with the Red Cross, and developing a wellness trail for all of Kirksville to use. As for our colleagues, we will be presenting meetings on residency programs, the business of medicine, and several other subjects of interest to today's medical students.

 

           

 

 

BETA CHAPTER (Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center)

Submitted by:  Craig M. Johnson, President

 

Introduction

2000-2001 was another momentous year for the Beta Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi. We both successfully continued the many traditional Beta Chapter programs and also were able to start yet two more successful traditions this year in the Community Medicine Program and the McKinley School Healthfair. Furthermore, we were able to set many new records this year in both forum turnouts and chapter time and money donations to the many programs we are involved in throughout the year. The Community Medicine Program that was initiated this year was a great opportunity for SSP members to prepare and deliver topic presentations to a very underserved population through a new YWCA partnership. The first annual McKinley Healthfair was also a great success in providing free medical care and health education to over 100 individuals while solidifying our physical diagnosis skills and serving the underserved of our community. Another highlight of the year for the Beta Chapter was the amount of media coverage that we received. We were featured in newspaper and magazine articles and were seen on television four times throughout the year. This coverage allowed us to get the word out to the community with regards to our university, Sigma Sigma Phi, and the entire osteopathic profession. Overall, Sigma Sigma Phi was once again one of the most influential organizations on campus with our many educational forums and community outreach programs that gave the entire DMU community the opportunity to make the most of their time in Des Moines for both themselves and the community around us.  

Forums

Specialty Forum

The annual Specialty Forum was held on May 1 at the DMU medical education conference center. The annual goal of this program is to acquaint the medical students with the incredible variety of choices that awaits them in the future and to answer their many questions in the effort to separate some of the fact from the fiction. It is difficult to stay focused on the end goal and stay updated on current events during the first two didactic years and this program has historically provided great motivation and insight, especially for the first years that have such little exposure to clinical medicine until the second year. The panel of 13 specialists this year included osteopathic representatives from ophthalmology, plastic surgery, cardiology, psychiatry, surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, nephrology, emergency medicine and internal medicine. Over 210 students attended the event and enjoyed the extensive, relevant information and advice received while enjoying a fine catered Famous Dave’s barbecue dinner for themselves and their spouses. Total expenses for the event were over $1750. Our sponsors included the COMS Alumni Association, Iowa Osteopathic Medicine Assoc., Lilly and Medtronic. There were 13 people on this committee who worked countless hours to put together this very successful event that helped benefit all of the students who attended.

 

Cancer Conference

The 18th Annual Cancer Conference on Wednesday, February 21 was a great success once again. SSP and the American Cancer Society presented Cancer Conference 2001 with the focus on current trends in cancer care. This theme focused on communication and support during this difficult time for all, which was a different approach than the mainly scientific one over the past years. Over 200 people attended the conference this year. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Debra Welker, a local oncologist speaking on “Communicating with your Patient”. The most popular segment of the conference was the survivor panel, which consisted of local cancer survivors, as well as, a spouse of a deceased lung cancer patient. This was an open forum for survivors to tell their stories and for students to ask questions. One of the other highlights of the conference was guest speaker Congressman Greg Gansky, MD who spoke about his experiences as a physician, gave recommendations to students on how to make their voices known in the political arena, and discussed his latest congressional project, the patient bill of rights.  Our last speaker, Dr. Tim Steele discussed the latest trends in cancer treatment and some of his own cancer research. After the panel discussion, students were encouraged to visit educational booths that were sponsored by hospitals and pharmaceutical companies that provided educational information and various simulations.

 

The purpose of this event was to increase awareness of the humanistic approach to cancer and to educate people regarding the general disease process, prevention, treatment options, and psychological effects of coping with the disease. The audience consisted of medical students from DMU, faculty members, cancer survivors including friends/family members and other interested community members. We started the daylong conference at 11:00 am and served a box lunch to everyone that consisted of turkey croissant sandwiches, chips, fruit bars, water, as well as extra snacks consisting of assorted fruits, yogurt, brownies, juice, and milk. Our total cost of the conference was approximately $1200.  This money was provided by AstraZenica, GlaxoSmithKline, and the COMS Alumni Association. In addition we received food donations from Anderson Erickson, Capital City Fruits, Capitol Florists and many other local businesses. The work was provided by a dedicated team of 13 members who held monthly meeting starting six months before the event and put in well over 150 hours of service in order to make this years conference a great success.

 

Internship and Residency Forum

On Tuesday, February 6, 2001, SSP held our annual Internship & Residency Forum from 6-9 PM. We invited six Des Moines area interns and residents to speak about their experiences in their respective fields. Each speaker was very enthusiastic and provided a variety of experiences and insight from different points in their careers. Fazoli’s catered the dinner. Merck Pharmaceuticals, Des Moines University's National Alumni Association, and SSP sponsored the event. Overall, it was a very successful evening, as over 200 students and their spouses attended the event. Our total budget for the program was approximately $1500 and we served a catered dinner of lasagna, manicotti, veggies, salad, spaghetti, drinks and the all important raspberry-chocolate cheesecake to finish the meal. We also created a brief program that students could browse through during the forum. The program contained basic information about the residency programs represented, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) from the AOA web site under "Osteopathic Graduate Medical Education", and a summary about each of our sponsors. We decorated the medical education building with trees, plants and candy from a local florist. Fields represented included Osteopathic Rotating Internship, AMA Transitional Year, OB/Gyn, Family Practice, Surgery, Radiology and Pediatrics. Overall, the 13 forum committee members involved organized a great experience for all those who attended and many people felt more informed with regards to what will happen after medical school. The speakers did a wonderful job to explain the most up to date information possible as to how the medical training process works and what the students should expect in the future.
 

Noontime Case Studies

This was the 2nd year for the noontime case studies for the DMU-OMC community. The program entails case presentations by SSP members every month throughout the year in the effort to emphasize the essentials in the diagnostic process and aid in a stress-free overview for the boards. It is also an opportunity for the first year students to observe the clinical relevance of the basic sciences that they are learning and to gain some early exposure to the diagnostic process.  This is also an excellent teaching opportunity for the SSP members so that they may enhance their presentation skills for the future. We spent approximately $3300 on this program with over 19 interactive case studies presented by over 38 SSP members. We feel this was a great new educational experience for all involved and this was one of our most popular programs again this year. Average attendance was over 175 students over the nine dates and the interactive portion in the differential diagnosis was a great learning experience every time. We look forward to continuing this educational experience for the entire DMU community in the future.

 

Community Service

La Clinica

La Clinica is a community outreach project that allows students, usually 3 or 4 a week, to help provide medical care at a free health care clinic dedicated to serving the underprivileged Latino population of Des Moines, IA. We like to see it as our very own modified Patch Adams Clinic. With the 2nd year under SSP sponsorship, we dedicated over 560 volunteer hours and over $500 to this worthwhile community project to serve the poor and underserved. This also gave medical students a wonderful clinical opportunity to work side by side with an incredible team of dedicated nurses and physicians for the common good of the community with no political questions asked. We also feel the medical Spanish that the volunteers pick up after a few short times working is a wonderful benefit that will help them to better serve the fastest growing cross section of our society in the future as physicians. Based on experience and comfort level, we do everything from just taking vitals to phlebotomy, vaccinations, H&P’s and sometimes full consults with supervision.

 

Community Medicine Program

This was the first year for the community medicine committee and the committee did a great job in starting what we expect to be a strong addition to our community service in the future. The committee started their work this year by forming an alliance with the YWCA of Des Moines. Through this program, the committee worked with the YWCA residence program, which averages about 80 women and 35 children in their care at any one time. The YWCA offers these individuals temporary housing and food while facilitating their reentry as a productive member of the community.

Our chapter offered hour long, interactive discussions on topics that the staff felt were of greatest concern. The topics presented this year were: pregnancy/STDs, food safety/nutrition, lice/pediatric concerns, immunizations, and female/general hygiene. Committee members gathered information about each of the subjects and this information was used by SSP volunteers to give the presentations. Information gathered and/or created included: pamphlets, brochures, posters and other reading material. In the first year, this new program has already benefited many area families and will only continue to do so more in the future as we continually add new programs and improve upon existing ones.

 

Winter Warmth Clothing Drive

This clothing drive is conducted annually by SSP during the most crucial winter months of need in Iowa. This year, we set a record with over 89 full heavy-duty garbage bags worth of items that weighed in at over 2000 lbs. and consisted of almost anything that could be useful in the snow and after. This more than doubled our old record! The drive was finished and items delivered on December 14 in the hopes of making Christmas Day a little brighter for some of the recipients. We donated all of the items to St. Mary’s Family Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The items were said to have been very helpful for the many struggling families of the community.

 

Coffeehouse

Coffeehouse is commonly called senior follies at high schools and colleges across the nation. It is held at the end of the didactic two and a half years in the first week of August and is traditionally both a celebration and a temporary goodbye for the entire university. Many students take part in skits that represent some of the lighter times throughout the years and exemplify some of the interesting traits our wonderful faculty possesses. Everybody had a great time with over 200 people in attendance. We were sponsored by 28 wonderful community businesses and local individuals who donated services or goods towards a raffle that raised just under $710 for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa! This celebration, therefore, both led to a great night of fun for the DMU community and also helped make some children’s lives much better through the money we donated as a result of the generosity of the students and the local sponsors.

 

Adopt-A-School Program

On March 15, 2001, over 40 first and second year students got together to provide free medical care at the first annual McKinley Elementary School Healthfair. This event was a great success as approximately 100 physicals and 200 immunizations were administered during a four-hour period in the school gymnasium. Our medical school Community Outreach Program set up the 10 portable examination rooms and donated the supplies to perform the exams. Furthermore, our Spanish-speaking medical students helped translate and our faculty physicians donated their time to help supervise this event for the underserved Hispanic population of the greater Des Moines area. We were also pleased with the media coverage that the event received from many television, newspaper, and magazine sources, especially a feature story that was aired the same night on Fox News. We felt this program gave us an incredible opportunity to get the word out about the osteopathic profession and the service to the underserved that we represent. With the great success of this first annual event, the Beta chapter looks forward to continuing and improving yet another tradition of community outreach and service in the future.  

Campus Involvement

Campus Tours

The Beta Chapter provides campus tours to over 400 interviewing students each year. Tour guides accompany the interviewing students to lunch and answer questions with regards to academics, the community, and the interview process itself. Members also share the various high and low points that they faced through their first and second years of medical school. We are honored to be the first contacts, along with the OMM fellows, that represent the university, the community, and the osteopathic profession.   

 

Pin Sales

One of SSP’s most lucrative fundraisers comes in its biannual medical pin sales. We sell engraved nametags to all D.O. and D.P.M. students on campus. The 2000-2001 pin drive sold over 200 pins and raised over $500. This was a great help towards our bottom line and the support of both our educational and service programs.

 

Betty Chu Award

This award honors Betty Chu, a student at DMU-OMC in the class of 1987. Betty died in her second year from complications of lung cancer. She was a dedicated member of SSP and left behind a husband and two children. She demonstrated amazing commitment to both her family and her academic life. All first year students may nominate a female class member in good academic standing, who is a mother and who shows the same qualities that Betty Chu possessed while at DMU-OMC. An SSP panel interviews each applicant and the winner’s name is engraved and added to a plaque hanging in our academic center. The recipient receives a check for $250 from SSP and a free book from our campus Matthew’s Bookstore. The student is also honored at a university ceremony. The 2001 recipient was first year medical student Angela Haugo.

 

Kelly Wifler Gift

Kelly died Sunday, Nov. 29th, 1998 from injuries sustained in a car accident on her way back to school after Thanksgiving. Kelly was an SSP member who was committee head of Tiny Tots and frequently helped out with all of our programs when we were short of help. She was an exemplary student, friend and a wonderful addition to our fraternity. Kelly had a special fondness for children and was also an active member of the Pediatrics Club. This fund was established to give an annual donation to benefit local youth organizations. Aside from the annual donation, each recipient’s name will be engraved and added to a plaque in our academic center. Last year SSP made a donation of $250 in Kelly’s name to the House of Mercy Shelter for abused women and children.

 

University Gift

  Traditionally, the Beta Chapter of SSP has provided an educational gift to DMU each year. This gift is a means to say thank you and also a way to further aid in the educational aspect of future medical students. The 2001 gift to the university was a state of the art lumbar puncture simulator to the Physical Diagnosis Department for the use of all. This gift has an engraved SSP Beta Chapter plaque attached to it to designate our contribution to DMU medical education.   


Sigma Sigma Phi- Beta Chapter – Stronger Than Ever

             The Beta Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi has a rich tradition of academic excellence and community service.  For the 2001-2002 academic year, one of these traditions has changed slightly – I am honored to be the first female president of the Beta Chapter.  The legacy of dedication to school and community involvement continues stronger than ever at DMU.  This makes the role of president a challenging one in trying to find new avenues for involvement and improvement.

            I am proud to say that we have 19 spring inductees from the class of 2004 that are eager to begin the worthwhile work of the Beta Chapter.  It has been exciting to watch our two newest programs flourish.  Our noontime case studies have been a big hit by providing free lunch and educational opportunities for all.  Every Monday, the program at La Clinica gives students an inspirational taste of clinical medicine in addition to serving an underprivileged population in Des Moines.  These two programs have become as strong as the 13+ other programs we continue to do.

            As the new president of the Beta Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi, I couldn’t be more pleased to represent a group of my peers committed to hard work and excellence in and out of the classroom.  I am excited to begin a new year and to accept the challenge of strengthening our existing programs and seeking out new activities.

 

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                                        Dana J. Messenger

                                                                        2001-2002 Beta Chapter SSP President

 

 

 

DELTA CHAPTER UHS-COM KANSAS CITY, MO

Submitted by:  Mary Boggs, President

 

The following are activities, which kept the Delta Chapter busy during the 2000-2001 school year:

  1. Blood Drive: Our annual blood drive took place on August 25th.  We had 60 donors giving blood to benefit the Community Blood Center.
  2. “How to Succeed in Medical School”-During the 2000-2001 school year UHS began a new case-based curriculum entitled Genesis.  During the second week of school, our annual event served to inform 1st year medical students about the courses and professors they would encounter in their first year at UHS.  We also offered advice and hints on how to be successful.  The event was held during lunch.
  3. Primary Care Day- The annual Primary Day encouraged all clubs on the UHS campus to host a booth that promotes primary care.  The Delta Chapter followed the same theme used in previous years.  Both classes (1st/2nd) were presented a case and asked to make a diagnosis.  A Skutt Monkey (Physicians reference book) was awarded to a winner from each class.
  4. Holy House Soup Kitchen- Each Monday, two members donate two hours at a local soup kitchen.  We provide extra help wherever it is needed.  Our participation at the soup kitchen continues throughout the year.
  5. Project Warmth- This program began in 1998 in order to supply Holy House Soup Kitchen with winter clothing (i.e., gloves, hats, coats, shoes, etc). Last year, Project Warmth was conducted in conjunction with Alpha Phi Omega.  The project was heavily promoted during the holidays for students, faculty and staff to donate items from their households.
  6. Angel Tree Project- In conjunction with Docs for Tots, Sigma Sigma Phi provided extra money and people for this event.  The Angel Tree Project targeted children from the Minute Circle Friendly House, which is an after the school center for underprivileged children.  Docs for Tots provided tutoring for these students.  The premise of the project was to adopt a child in the program and provide a Christmas gift and to spend time with him/her at a Christmas party at UHS.
  7. Charity Run-In order to promote a healthy lifestyle, we helped sponsor members and non-members for a charity run to benefit the Children’s Hospital for Visual Impairment.  We were able to help subsidize some of the entry cost to encourage more student participation.
  8. Clinical/Basic Science Faculty of the Year Award-The award was established to honor a faculty member that exemplifies excellence.  This past year, David McWhorter, Ph.D., from the Anatomy department and our advisor, was presented the award.  Dr. McWhorter is known at UHS as a vibrant professor and student advocate.
  9. Jan Alan Oliveri Scholarship-This award was established to honor a former student at UHS who died of leukemia in his 3rd year, Jan Alan Oliveri.  One first year student is awarded the scholarship based on excellence in grades, leadership, activities, and helping others.  The individual is evaluated for a compassionate, positive, and hopeful attitude to life.  Last year, Denise Wunderler of Northampton, Pennsylvania, was the recipient.
  10. Outstanding Senior Award-This award is given each year to a member of the Senior Class who exemplifies dedication and integrity to which we all aspire.  The award acknowledges:

·        Consistent achievement in service to the class and the school

·        Adherence to the practice of the Osteopathic philosophy

·        Maintenance of satisfactory scholastic achievement

 

The award is presented at graduation.

  1. Rotation Evaluations-Members of Sigma Sigma Phi are sent evaluations for

each rotation site.  This file is intended to give 2nd year members help in the decision process on rotation site selection.

  1. Fall and Spring Rush-The top 30% in the 2nd year class are invited to rush

in the fall and spring.  The tope 30% in the 1st year class are invited to rush in the spring.  Selection is based upon activities and involvement.

  1. Banquet/Initiation- Students selected from the fall and spring rush are invited for an induction banquet.  The dinner is held at a local restaurant followed by a short program.  The inductees are presented with a red carnation, the fraternity flower, sworn in, and are introduced to the history of the founding and development of Sigma Sigma Phi.  

    ETA CHAPTER(UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER OF FORT WORTH/COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE)

    Submitted by Chapter President: Shawna Wade

     

    Community of Hope-In March of 2001, several members of the Eta Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi in conjunction with the campus chapter of UAAO developed an OMT/soft tissue clinic under the leadership of fellow Chapter member Catherine Andrews.  The purpose of the clinic is to provide services to the indigent population of Fort Worth at the Day Resource Center associated with the Community of Hope Homeless Shelter.  Ms. Andrews met the needs of the homeless by using osteopathy as an outreach tool, incorporating the human contact that these people significantly lack.  Last spring, Sigma Sigma Phi members totaled 115 volunteer hours at the clinic.  This is an ongoing effort, and thus far in the 2001-2002 academic year, we have accrued 115 hours at the Community of Hope, and we look forward to continuing to meet the needs of our neighbors.

     

    Northside Health Fair-December of 2000 afforded Sigma Sigma Phi members an opportunity to participate in the annual Northside Health Fair.  This fair is a collaborative effort from many different organizations on the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine campus and reaches the predominantly Hispanic uninsured population surrounding the area of the Northside Clinic in Fort Worth.  At the clinic, a variety of services were provided, including Pap smears, manipulative medicine, cholesterol and diabetes screenings, and education of the public.  The Eta Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi is looking forward to participating in the Northside Health Fair again this fall.

     

    School Supply Drive-In order to meet the needs of school children in the most poverty-stricken elementary school in the Fort Worth Independent School District, the Eta Chapter initiated a school supply drive in the early weeks of our academic year.  One month and two large boxes later, we were able to deliver the supplies to these deserving children.  T. A. Sims Elementary School has become a continuing interest of Sigma Sigma Phi and will be participating in their Career Day in the spring, bringing a presentation of “What’s In A Doctor’s Bag?” to the school to peak interest in the medical profession.  Through the Adopt-A-School Program, we will be able to provide this elementary school with the supplies and motivation to start their educational careers.

     

    Beautiful Feet-We have recently established a relationship with a Beautiful Feet Ministries in Fort Worth; a multi-faceted outreach to the indigent population of the city.  From providing meals and clothing to food for the soul, our members sought to meet many needs of the community that relies on the center.  The Eta Chapter dedicated our time to help Beautiful Feet organize its pantry, clothing closets, and served lunch to nearly 100 needy men and women of Fort Worth.  We plan to make this a continuing effort with their ministry.

     

    Future Projects-While we will continue to participate in many of the projects begun over the course of the last year, we also have a clear vision of what we would like to accomplish in the future.  One of the projects we are initiating is Adopt-A-Park, which will require a monthly commitment to clean the facility.  A portion of our fundraising efforts will be dedicated to providing a sign in the park to indicate our commitment to the area.  Over the holidays, we will be going Christmas caroling at a nursing home.  At the Northside Health Fair this year, we will be providing immunization education to the public.  Our involvement with the Community of Hope Soft Tissue clinic continues to grow, as does our involvement with T.A. Sims Elementary School and the Beautiful Feet Ministries.  We look forward to continuing these efforts as well as others so that we may meet the needs of our community.

     

     

    IOTA CHAPTER(MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE-Lansing, Mi)

    Submitted by Chapter President:  Christine Park

    The Iota chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi at MSU COM is dedicated to scholastic achievement, community service and the osteopathic profession. Each of our members is required to participate in at least 4 hours of community service per semester, with most members exceeding this requirement on a regular basis. Our main focus is the Greater Lansing community, promoting and improving health awareness as well as osteopathic medicine. Within the college, we sponsor lunchtime presentations to both members and non-members involving issues ranging from domestic violence to residency programs.

    This fall we aggressively approached the incoming class to consider applying for Sigma Sigma Phi next Spring. We sponsored lunch for the first years during their orientation, promoted interest at the Student Organizations Fair and held a fund-raiser during the first week of school. These events have contributed to an increase in awareness and desire of the incoming class to be involved with Sigma Sigma Phi.

    We are continually adding new events as our new members offer new ideas and past experiences. Our current programs include: bread and bagel program, clothing and food drives, cholesterol and glucose screening during National Osteopathic Week, Friendship Clinic, diabetic counseling, MSU COM Monster Dash and the reading people. Sigma Sigma Phi sponsored a blood drive this past month with the Red Cross. The blood drive took place the week after the terrorist attacks on our nation and proved to be a wonderful success and aid to our country.

    Upcoming events include: the Valentine's Day party at a senior citizen center, packaging and distributing food at the Red Cross, a thanksgiving food drive, Vegas Night, the first year Spring rush and many more events. The Executive Committee continues to meet and search for ways to improve the Iota Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi at MSUCOM. We would also like to thank the National Office for their support.

 

 

THETA CHAPTER(OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY-COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC        MEDICINE-Tulsa, Ok)

Submitted by Chapter Secretary:  Lisa Roche

 

In August, Theta Chapter inducted 8 new members from the class of 2004, giving us 21 active     MSII members who are regularly involved in service to the school and the community.  Activities in which members have been involved in the last year include performing physicals for the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts, going into local elementary and middle schools to perform dissections of pig hearts and sharks, volunteering for Race for the Cure, and volunteering at the annual Osteopathic Run in the Spring.

 

Service projects planned for 2001-2002 include the following:

Trinity Episcopal Church-On November 3rd, we will be serving meals to homeless people in the community.

Holiday Toy and Blanket Drive-We are planning to collect blankets and toys in December.  These items will be donated to local families referred by the Department of Human Services.

American Red Cross Blood Drive-Sigma Sigma Phi will again sponsor our annual blood drive, which is always a big success.

Habitat for Humanity-in the spring, we will spend one Saturday helping our local Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Health Fair-Sigma Sigma Phi will sponsor a booth at the school health fair in the spring.  Last year Sigma Sigma Phi performed body fat measurements, calculated BMI, and educated health fair participants regarding their results.

 

We look forward to an exciting and productive year.

           

 

MU CHAPTER(WESTERN UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES, POMONA, CA)

Submitted by Chapter President: Arnold E. Cuenca

 

We started off the year with a blood drive two weeks into the semester.  Because of its success, we are having a second blood drive on Wednesday, October 24th.  In addition to the blood drive, we will be unveiling a redesigned Sister Schools Mentorship Program and the committee in charge is in the mid-stages of the program.  We will once again hold a clothing drive for the House of Ruth, a shelter for battered women.  In addition, we will hold our annual Santa’s Workshop and distribute toys to underprivileged children.  Closer to the holidays, the Mu Chapter will once again sell “White Coat Portraits” as a fundraiser.  During the Spring Semester, we hope to begin a pilot program involving Pet-Assisted Therapy with the Inland Valley Humane Society.  We will once again hold another Auction/Fashion Show, as well as our annual banquet.  Our chapter is excited about all that we are doing and look forward to having fun this year.

 

 

 

NU CHAPTER(WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE-Lewisburg, W.Va)

 

    The Nu Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi represents the student chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.  

    All current members participate in club events and almost all hold offices in other campus organizations owing to our tradition of initiating leaders who serve WVSOM, the Greenbrier County community, and the Osteopathic Profession.
    Chapter meetings are held every third Wednesday for those involved in upcoming events, and once monthly for all members. Projects for the 2000-2001 School Year have included the Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, What’s in a Doctor’s Bag and the Lecture Series at Monroe Day Care Center, a six-part series for the after-school children of the Monroe Day Care Center. Around Christmastime, we host Heart of the Holidays, a program through which local families are provided with Christmas gifts with emphasis on the children of the household. They are helped with overdue bills, and are provided with a decorated Christmas tree. The Grand Affair takes place in the spring and is a benefit auction that raises money for student scholarships in memory of Fred W. Smith, whose contributions continue to benefit our institution. The long-term goal is to create a self-sustained endowment in honor of Fred W. Smith that will continue to provide scholarships for years to come. Sigma Sigma Phi hopes to continue to foster a community-wide effort to increase interest and attendance of this event, and most importantly to continue the growth of the Fred W. Smith Scholarship Fund.
    Last year for the first time Sigma Sigma Phi entered into a partnership with the Greenbrier County United Way. Sigma Sigma Phi took prospective volunteer projects to the Presidents of the other clubs on campus and presented each club with the opportunity to complete them. We hope to continue this partnership with the United Way and annually provide this service to campus organizations looking for new and ever-expanding ways to get involved in the Greenbrier County community.
    Although these events are conceived and managed by club members, we encourage both first and second-year classes to get involved in any of the projects we are conducting at any time, as they are a lot of fun and of great benefit to the community.

 

 

 

KAPPA CHAPTER(UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND/COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE-Biddeford, Me)

Submitted by Chapter President: Ron Brizzie

 

Welcome to the Kappa Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi at UNECOM!  The Kappa Chapter represents the National Osteopathic Honor and Service Society, which promotes academic excellence and service to the university, community, and the osteopathic profession.  This past year has been filled with enriching events.  From a hugh fire to celebrate the first year’s completion of their gross anatomy course to predicting a fourth grader’s future at the Halloween party-we are doing it all!

 

Some of the events we have organized over the last year are as follows:

Post gross toast, Halloween Party for the JFK mentoring program, 5K Fun Run, Bottle and Can Recycling, Hospital Day, Board Review Time, An Ice Cream Social, Annual Toys for Tots Drive, Clothing Drive, Senior Banquet, and Class of 2001 Postgraduate Training Destinations.

 

The future of the Kappa Chapter here at UNECOM is dependent upon its members.  The new members of the class of 2004 are highly motivated and very enthusiastic about the upcoming year.  Not only are we strengthening our annual events, we have many new endeavors planned to further aid the community and raise osteopathic medicine awareness.  I look forward to a fund and   rewarding year.

 

 

EPSILON CHAPTER (CHICAGO COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE/MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY - Downers Grove, Il)

Submitted by Chapter President: Julie Bian

 

The Epsilon chapter at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine is undergoing a renewal this school year.  We are building new traditions, while restructuring old ones.  Due to less new membership, the board has sought service opportunities that is attainable/doable within our capacity and interests.  We have made great headway in reaching this goal, as indicated by what we plan for the coming school year.  In addition to building traditions, our goal for this year is to increase awareness of our presence on campus, and thus increase interest/membership in SSP in the future.  This was a major issue that came up the previous year.  Also, fundraising is something we would like to kick off by the Spring/Summer of 2002 to replenish our funds. 

 

Past/Current Activities:

Cultural Celebration (Lifelink)-This was Epsilon Chapter’s first event of the new 2001-2002 school year. “Cultural Celebration” is an annual fair (sponsored by Lifelink-charitable, non-profit org.) designated to introduce and educate ethnic adopted orphans and their adoptive American families to various cultures, including their own.

 

Future/Planned Activities:

 

Children’s’ Christmas Shopping (December 2001)

Every year Lifelink, which is a local community service center, sponsors underserved/needy children (nearly 400 of ages 3 or 4) to go Christmas shopping at the local Wal-mart.

 

PADS-Soup Kitchen & Medical Clinic (November & December 2001)

The CCOM chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi will be involved with PADS program in Aurora, Illinois this year in a couple of different ways.  PADS is an organization in the Chicago suburbs that provides shelter for the homeless during the winter months as well as a meal in the evenings and limited medical care.  PADS works through a collaboration of various churches and organizations through out the community that volunteer to provide meals and services to shelters.

 

Rotation Panel (January 2002)

Every year, SSP at CCOM has held a rotations panel of 3rd and 4th year students to give the lower classmen insights about their clinical education.  This especially gives the 2nd year students the opportunity to know where to do what before the actual decisions are made.

 

Clothing Drive (Winter and Spring 2002)

At the end of each quarter at Midwestern University, students from the dorms tend to clear out their closets with the change of the season.  We would like to take advantage of this behavior by coordinating a clothing drive on campus.

 

Future Fund Raising (Spring/Summer 2002)

Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL offers fund raising opportunities to local organizations.  Basically, members of a particular organization work in different areas of the park for a day, earning $7-8 and hour.  Great America then donates the money earned to the organization.

 

 

ZETA CHAPTER (Philadelphia, Pa- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

There are 154 members of the Zeta Chapter of PCOM for the 2001-2002 school year.  As part of our community involvement, many of our members are mentors to children from the West Philadelphia area.  This program's purpose is to provide the children with positive role models and fun activities.  We also provide meals to out-of-town families with children undergoing chronic treatment at local hospitals as part of the Ronald McDonald House Meals Program.  Other areas of service include renovating homes with Habitat for Humanity, coordinating the West Philly High School Health Fair, and providing campus tours to prospective PCOM students.

 

 

 

Lambda Chapter (Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine-Athens, Oh)

The Lambda Chapter at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine has had a productive and entertaining year. Not only were we able to organize the annual Lambda Chapter service activities such as the food and clothing drives, but we were also able to pull ourselves out of debt with fundraisers like candy-grams and Sigma Sigma Phi pins. Furthermore, we teamed up with other OU-COM organizations in some of the activities that students enjoyed the most like Talent Follies, the Medicine Run, and Student Awards Night. With an ambitious group of new members, we look forward to continuing our success and keep the Lambda Chapter moving in the right direction.

On December 21st, 2000, the Student Osteopathic Medicine Association (SOMA) and the Lambda Chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi delivered over 150 non-perishable items to Good Works in our annual food drive. Good Works is a Christian community that has provided a care-community for the rural and recovering homeless and a wide range of community development outreach programs since 1981. All of our members contributed to the collection, sorting, and delivery of these goods over the period of 2 weeks. The program was a complete success and has been for all of the years we've been working with Good Works.

Also in December of 2000, the Lambda Chapter teamed up with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) in our annual clothing drive. Our members worked arduously over three weeks to collect clothing for the homeless in our area. We delivered the items to the Salvation Army for proper distribution. The collection took place during the Christmas season. Needless to say, the season put all of us in the medical college in a giving mood. The number of clothing items collected was overwhelming.

In attempt to overcome the debt that the current Lambda Chapter officers inherited, the executive board brainstormed for ideas on fundraisers. One of those ideas was the purchase of a pin with the Sigma Sigma Phi insignia on it. We were able to purchase the pins for a little over two dollars each. At induction, we added five dollars to the national dues and presented the new members with the pins. Additionally, we sold candy grams the week of Valentine's Day. For just a dollar, students and faculty could purchase a valentine card and a Hershey's kiss and send it to the person of their choice. Both of these methods helped us climb out of our inherited debt and we are proud to report a much better budget situation. Furthermore, we are currently looking into adding a third fundraiser (t-shirt sales) for the 2001-2002 school year.

The student awards night held on April 12th, 2000, is a huge event at OU-COM. The role of Sigma Sigma Phi was primarily in preparation for the evening. Specifically, we coordinated the selection and presentation of the most prestigious award given that night: the Osteopathic Mentor Award. This award, as well as the other fourteen awards given, was selected by the several recommendations written by the students. Sigma Sigma Phi was the organization selected to sort through the recommendations and then organize the presentation to the winner. The event was attended by nearly one hundred percent of the medical college and was a complete success.

The 20th annual osteopathic medicine run was held on Saturday, May 5th, 2001. Together with the Student Associate Auxiliary (SAA), the Sports Medicine Club, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), the Lambda Chapter organized one of the largest events of OU-COM. Students, faculty, even members of Sigma Sigma Phi and residents of Athens, Ohio run in a 5K race. Even a wheelchair race was held for those unable to run. With the help of seventeen sponsors, we were able to present prizes to the top five finishers, both male and female. Prizes ranged from two hundred dollar savings bonds to gift certificates and sportswear. The cost of running the race was fifteen dollars. With hundreds of people participating, the event received local media coverage and was a huge success, not only for our chapter but for the entire community as well.

The advent of the new curriculum has brought about many changes with OU-COM. The first class to go through this curriculum has passed on to their third years at the various CORE sites around Ohio. The students seemed pleased for the most part as we move from a curriculum that included rigorous amounts of class time to one that incorporates both self-learning and clinical learning via case based learning groups that meet three times per week. Many of the kinks have been worked out and should benefit the future medical classes that pass through. These changes have offered stability to the college as well as the students, providing a better environment for our various groups, like Sigma Sigma Phi to excel to higher levels.

Another issue that this class has had to deal with is a low budget. Having financial restrictions definitely puts another burden on our members. Planning activities always requires our members to be creative and try different fundraisers to pay for them. Fortunately, our financial situation is progressing due to the focused attention paid to this problem over the last few years. It is, however, still very low comparatively. This years officers will try to keep the progress going by leaving next year's class with even more money than we had.

We are inducting our newest class of members this week and are excited about the number of applicants and the overall interest that this society has generated. With the induction of these new members, the Lambda Chapter will have a great representation and stronger foundation to work on, as we prepare for another busy year here at OU-COM.

 

XI CHAPTER (Nova Southeastern University) Ft. Lauderdale, Fl

Submitted by Chapter President:  Jeffrey Lebensburger

 

The Xi Chapter came back into existence only two years ago and ever since we have been working hard to establish ourselves as a fraternity known for its leadership and community service.  Our community involvement is extensive:

 

1.      Doctor’s Bag Program was established last year to help alleviate the fears of under served children in Broward County and has subsequently been extended to Daytona, Orlando, Tamp, and Miami.

2.      Pre-Doc Program was created this year to spread osteopathic awareness to inner city high school students while simultaneously giving them a crash course in clinical medicine.

3.      Brian Grant Program has us teaming up with Brian Grant from the Miami Heat.  Each month we take seriously ill and under privileged children to Miami Heat games where they meet Brian Grant.

4.      The Reading Program was created to provide comfort to children who are sick in the hospital.  We take enough copies of books so that each child may have one to keep and follow along with as we read to them.

5.      Tar Wars is an interactive program in elementary schools to help teach students the dangers of smoking.

6.      Breaking Bread and Breaking Barriers is a program that takes the Xi chapter into a Broward County homeless shelter.  We sponsor a meal that we help to prepare, serve, and clean up.

7.      Thanksgiving Dinner is provided to over fifty families in the area as a result of our heavy campaigning for donations from students and other clubs.

8.      Each Valentine’s Day we visit a nursing home with flowers, candy and cards, for an evening of singing, dancing, and playing games.

 

Our campus involvement is largely in association with other clubs.  We help SOMA with AIDS awareness by helping to fundraise for a pediatric AIDS clinic, we team up with ACFOP for a health fair during osteopathic awareness week, and we assist Peds club with a toy drive that provides under privileged children with toys during the holiday season.

In addition, the Xi chapter puts together a rotation luncheon.  This year 12 third and fourth years from sigma sigma phi returned from their clinical rotation sites to speak about their experiences and to answer any questions that the second years had.