Pawpaws & Kick-offs
Chelsey Kimble, National Liason OU-HCOM
In true Ohio fashion, we began this second week of September with summery 90 degree weather, but as the week closes and the temperature drops into the 50s, fall is unmistakably on its way. I love this time of year, as fall marks the start of a new academic adventure with football season, fire pits, and festival fare. The Pawpaw Festival is underway this weekend, and for those of us who may not have known what a “pawpaw” is—a fruit—it’s the perfect study break opportunity to experience an authentic Athens County tradition.
For SAAO-OUHCOM, the OMM traditions are underway as well. We kicked off the year with our annual “Naked OMM” workshop, sponsored by Summa Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The workshop exposes the essentials of OMM, with Dr. Ron Russ, D.O., Dr. Clay Seiple, D.O., and this year third year OU-HCOM Student Doctor Michael (Chip) Halko demonstrating various strategies for quick and effective use of OMM in everyday clinical practice. For first years this was an exciting opportunity to get a hands-on preview of OMM in action, and for second years the event offered practical modifications and applications for treatments we have learned so far. With a record-setting 125 first and second year students in attendance, the event was a major success!
We will also begin our OMM for OU Athletes program this month. OMM for OU Athletes allows first and second year students to provide OMM treatments for student athletes under the supervision of Dr. Craig Chappell, D.O., Ohio University Team Physician. Dr. Chappell utilizes OMM extensively in his practice, and guides OU-HCOM students in applying the concepts of OMM to specific sports injuries and pain as they examine and treat athletes who are referred to the program. It’s a great opportunity to gain experience working with OMM, and with so much enthusiasm surrounding our opening workshop, we are excited for students to again work with Dr. Chappell.
Finally, we will again be hosting Dr. Anna Wright, D.O., for monthly sessions exploring palpation in OMM. Dr. Wright guides students through informal exercises examining subtle asymmetries within the body, discussions regarding the ways in which regional asymmetries may relate to one another, and strategies for applying basic OMM principles to resolve any findings. These sessions offer students an opportunity to not only improve their palpatory analysis, but to develop a critical approach to applying OMM as well.
With lots of planning underway and more events still to come, this promises to be a very busy and OMM-filled year here at OU-HCOM. January will be here before we know it, so for now: Happy fall, everyone!
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