As time passed, the seasons changed, block schedules sent out, exams taken, practicals endured—it came time for the weekend we had planned long ago: to kick everything off, an ice storm was scheduled to hit Blacksburg VA just in time for the workshop. Feeling shaky the first Saturday morning, VCOM SAAO officers set up the workspace and meals for the day, got the technology and powerpoints in order, and waited. Much to our surprise, and true relief, people started to shuffle in! Students from other schools, our own students, faculty from our school and from other schools, practicing physicians from all around the country, Dr. Blood, and a special guest he brought along with him all showed up for our little experiment. The weekend proved to be the possibility the officers had been open to; connections were made, techniques learned, weather alerts loomed, and true community synergy happened. People came together, worked together, learned together, and grew together.
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"oNE UNIT"
By: Erin Smith - VCOM VC
Often people, especially medical students, get caught up in a routine: go to school, come home, eat, study, exercise, shower, study, rinse, repeat. And as the majority of students stereotypically refer to themselves as “type A”, breaking the “normal” routine can prove to be more of an obstacle that consumes and often blinds us from possibilities we otherwise could have experienced. While planning the annual Cranial Workshop early in the fall, the officers of VCOM’s SAAO decided to do something different. Somewhere, a break in the routine happened—people started brainstorming outside of “what usually happens” and found out “what could happen” if we changed things up a bit. Little did we know the possibilities are truly endless.
It is tradition here at VCOM for SAAO to host an annual cranial workshop, hosted by Dr. Stephen Blood, DO, FAAO, FACGP, FCA along with faculty from our own campus; Dr. David Harden, DO, FAAFP, and Dr. Hope Tobey, DO. Students and faculty usually spend two days learning introductions of the cranial technique, how to feel cranial rhythms, practicing on one another, and receiving one on one assistance in perfecting technique and certain treatments. The workshop brings in around twenty interested students, from our campus only, and we have a great time! However, something was different this time around. We were under the impression that this might be Dr. Blood’s last time with us, and the officers wanted to share his talents and gifts with SAAOs from other schools. As the invites were sent out, responses were sparse. SAAO officers of our school were excited about the idea that students from other schools would want to share this annual experience with us, and as time passed, we began to receive more replies. Our sister campus VCOM CC and WVSOM had responded to our invitation; around fifty people had signed up to come. They were going to make the pilgrimage to our annual cranial workshop!