By Caleb Boudreaux, Class of 2029, SOMA President 2026-2027 and AOA House student alternate delegate
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) student leaders from all four campuses—VCOM-Virginia, VCOM-Carolinas, VCOM-Auburn, and VCOM-Louisiana—recently gathered in Chicago, Illinois, to represent their peers and advocate for the future of the osteopathic profession through participation in several national leadership and policy meetings, including the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) Summer Leadership Meeting (SLM), National Osteopathic Student Caucus (NOSC), and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) House of Delegates.
These national meetings provide osteopathic medical students with an opportunity to engage directly in professional advocacy, collaborate with student leaders from across the country, and contribute to policy discussions that impact medical education, student experiences, and the future of healthcare.
Student Osteopathic Medical Association Summer Leadership Meeting
SOMA leaders from across VCOM’s four campuses participated in the SOMA Summer Leadership Meeting, an annual gathering focused on leadership development, organizational strategy, collaboration, and preparing student advocates to effectively represent the interests of osteopathic medical students nationwide.
The meeting brings together SOMA chapter leaders and national representatives to discuss priorities affecting osteopathic medical students, develop leadership skills, and establish initiatives that promote student involvement within the profession. Through workshops, collaboration, and strategic discussions, attendees gain the tools necessary to advocate for their classmates at both institutional and national levels.
For VCOM SOMA leaders, the meeting served as an opportunity to strengthen connections among campuses, share ideas for improving student engagement, and continue advancing a unified student voice within osteopathic medicine.
National Osteopathic Student Caucus (NOSC)
VCOM SOMA leaders and members of the Council of Student Government Presidents (COSGP) attended the NOSC, a forum where osteopathic medical students from across the country gather to discuss issues affecting students and the profession.
The NOSC serves as the student voice within the osteopathic community by providing a platform for discussion and debate on policies that will be voted on later in the week at the AOA House of Delegates. Student representatives review proposed policies, discuss challenges facing medical students, and identify opportunities to improve medical education, advocacy efforts, and the overall student experience.
Participation in the NOSC allows VCOM student leaders to bring forward the perspectives of their classmates while collaborating with peers nationwide to address shared concerns. The discussions and resolutions developed through this process help inform broader advocacy efforts within the osteopathic profession.
American Osteopathic Association House of Delegates
Following the NOSC, VCOM SOMA leaders and COSGP representatives participated in the AOA House of Delegates (HOD), the official policy-making body of the American Osteopathic Association. The HOD brings together physician and student delegates from across the country to debate, discuss, and vote on resolutions that shape the direction of the osteopathic profession.
The AOA HOD provides an important opportunity for osteopathic medical students to participate in professional advocacy alongside physicians and leaders from across the healthcare community. Through representation and collaboration, student delegates help ensure that the perspectives of future physicians are included in conversations surrounding medical education, healthcare policy, and the advancement of osteopathic medicine.
During the AOA HOD, student leaders have the opportunity to sit alongside their respective state osteopathic medical associations and physician delegates as part of the formal policy-making process. Through this structure, students participate in discussions and vote on resolutions that help shape the future of the osteopathic profession. This representation provides students with a meaningful seat at the table where decisions are made regarding policies that influence their medical education, the patients they will one day serve, and the profession they will inherit. By engaging directly in the legislative process of the AOA, VCOM student leaders are able to advocate for the needs and priorities of osteopathic medical students while contributing to the continued advancement of osteopathic medicine.
Serving as a student delegate at the AOA HOD provided invaluable insight into the development of principles guiding both osteopathic students and physicians. Observing the dynamic nature of organized medicine highlighted the essential role of advocacy in representing both my peers and future patients.
For VCOM representatives, attending the AOA HOD reinforced the importance of student involvement in professional organizations and demonstrated the impact that engaged student leaders can have in shaping the future of medicine.
Strengthening the Student Voice Across VCOM
The participation of VCOM student leaders from all four campuses reflects the institution’s commitment to developing physicians who are not only clinically prepared but also engaged leaders and advocates within healthcare.
By attending national meetings such as SLM, NOSC, and the AOA HOD, VCOM students gain firsthand experience in healthcare advocacy, policy development, and professional leadership. These opportunities allow students to represent their peers, build relationships with leaders across the osteopathic community, and contribute to meaningful conversations that influence the future of the profession.
As future physicians, our responsibility extends beyond caring for individual patients - we must also advocate for our profession, our communities, and the healthcare system we will serve. Being able to represent VCOM students on a national stage allows us to bring student perspectives forward and help shape the future of osteopathic medicine.
Through continued engagement in national leadership and advocacy efforts, VCOM student leaders remain committed to advancing the osteopathic profession and ensuring that the voices of medical students are represented at every level.
Representing VCOM-Louisiana
Students representing VCOM-Louisiana included Caleb Boudreaux ‘29, SOMA president 2026-2027 and AOA House student alternate delegate; Mya Miller ‘29, SOMA national liaison officer 2026-2027; Kayla Zuiker ’29, SGA president 2026-2027 and AOA House student delegate.
They were joined in the AOA House of Delegates with Louisiana (LOMA) Delegate, Carrie Baker-Royer, DO, FAAP, associate dean for curriculum, assessment & medical education and discipline chair and associate professor for pediatrics; and Ray Morrison, DO, FACOS, DFACOS, dean for VCOM-Louisiana, led the AOA House as Speaker of the House.
Representing VCOM-Auburn
Students representing VCOM-Auburn included Dhanush Avva ’29, SOMA president 2026-2027 and AOA House student alternate delegate; Caroline Montini ’29, SOMA national liaison officer 2026-2027; Maria Evola '28, SOMA National OPP Director; Luke Woosley '28, COSGP National Parliamentarian; and Emmet Matthews '29, SGA president 2026-2027 and AOA House student delegate.
They were joined in the AOA House of Delegates with Alabama (ALOMA) Delegate, Bhavesh Joshi, DO, discipline chair and assistant professor for family medicine and associate program director for sports medicine fellowship.
Representing VCOM-Virginia
Students representing VCOM-Virginia included Lacey Heo '29, SOMA president 2026-2027; Gretchen Brown ’29, SOMA national liaison officer 2026-2027; Ashley Goss '29, SGA president 2026-2027 and AOA House student delegate; Patrick Regular '29, SGA vice president 2026-2027 and AOA House student alternate delegate; and Brooke Morris '28, COSGP National second vice chair.
They were joined in the AOA House of Delegates with Virginia (VOMA) Delegates: Ronald Januchowski, DO, FACOFP, dean for VCOM-Virginia Campus; Jan Willcox, DO, FACOFP-dist, vice president of strategic initiatives professional and public relations, dean emeritus; and Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, VCOM president.
Representing VCOM-Carolinas
Students representing VCOM-Carolinas included Lianna Perazzo ’29, SOMA president 2026-2027; Alaina Mullaly ’29, SOMA national liaison officer 2026-2027; Lydia Sparks '29, SOMA vice president 2026-2027; Jared Danko '29, SOMA secretary 2026-2027; Lane Methvin '29, SGA president 2026-2027 and AOA House student delegate; Ansley Robinson '29, SGA vice president and AOA House student alternate delegate; and Paige Gosewisch '29, South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society (SCOMS) student trustee.
They were joined in the AOA House of Delegates with: Matthew Cannon, DO, FACOFP, dean for VCOM-Carolinas; Ray Romano, DO, FACOFP, discipline chair and assistant professor for family medicine, and SCOMS Physician Trustee; Victoria Shadiack, DO, assistant professor for family medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine, and sports medicine, and SCOMS President-Elect; Scott Klosterman, DO, clinical faculty, and SCOMS immediate past president; John Gould, III, DO, FACP, clinical faculty, and SCOMS physician trustee; Tammy Whaley, BA assistant vice president for advancement & alumni relations, and executive director for SCOMS; and AOA Board of Trustee member, Timothy Kowalski, DO, FACN, vice dean for professional & public relations, and professor for psychiatry.
