COM Week will include Oct. 3 ‘D.O. Dash,’ osteopathic history presentation
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) will host Celebrate Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Week beginning Sept. 28, featuring events honoring the osteopathic profession and its impact on health care and communities.
In addition to a series of presentations for WVSOM students and employees, the school invites the public to take part in an Oct. 3 “D.O. Dash” in which participants can choose between a 5K run and a 1-mile walk, and to hear a History of Osteopathic Medicine presentation by John Garlitz, D.O., a professor in WVSOM’s Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice.
Garlitz will speak about the origins of osteopathic medicine, the history of WVSOM and the future of osteopathic medicine in the U.S. and internationally. His presentation will take place at 12 p.m. in the Conference Center in the WVSOM Student Center on the school’s Lewisburg campus. Lunch will be provided for the first 50 attendees at 11:30 a.m. at no cost.
Members of the public who want to participate in the D.O. Dash must register here. Check-in near the WVSOM Student Center’s Alumni Tower will begin at 9 a.m., the run will begin at 9:45 a.m. and the walk will begin at 10 a.m.
Those who register by Sept. 13 will receive a D.O. Dash T-shirt. The first-place winner of the 5K run in each of nine age groups, in male and female categories, will receive medals. A raffle will also take place, featuring WVSOM merchandise as prizes.
The cost to participate in the run is $25 for ages 12 and up or $15 for those under 12. There is no cost to take part in the walk.
On Sept. 15, Lewisburg Mayor Beverly White will sign a proclamation declaring Sept. 28-Oct. 3 to be COM Week in Lewisburg. The proclamation “urge[s] all citizens and community organizations to support these observances by helping to educate residents about D.O.s and osteopathic medicine.”
Jean Rettos, D.O., chair of WVSOM’s Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice, said COM Week exemplifies the mutually beneficial relationship that Lewisburg and WVSOM share.
“Having moved to Lewisburg nearly two years ago, I’ve come to appreciate not only the charm of this small-town community but its unique partnership with WVSOM,” Rettos said. “I have taught osteopathic manipulative medicine for more than 20 years, and I’ve rarely seen a relationship between a medical school and its community as strong as this one. WVSOM has helped provide excellent care for Greenbrier County while educating generations of physicians. In turn, Lewisburg and the surrounding community have been steadfast supporters of the school’s mission.”
Osteopathic physicians are fully licensed medical doctors who can prescribe medicine and practice in all medical specialties, including surgical specialties. They are trained to evaluate the whole body and to use their hands to help diagnose and treat patients.