The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine has made agreements with Fairmont State University and Frostburg State University to establish Pre-Osteopathic Medicine Programs. "These are pipeline programs to educate students about what osteopathic medicine is and to provide them with a pathway to help them be successful at achieving acceptance at medical school," said WVSOM president James Nemitz.

The new Heritage Translational Research Center at Ohio University, named in honor of the partnership between Ohio University and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations, aims to promote team science by bringing like-minded research teams together in one space. "Our hope is that the Heritage Translational Research Center will be a hub for discovery, bringing together the college, university our health care partners, and the broader community," said Ken Johnson, DO, executive dean of the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony opened the Ferrara Center for Patient Safety and Clinical Simulation, which upgrades, restructures and doubles the size of the former Institute for Clinical Competence. The institute offers medical students from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine and students of the School of Health Professions opportunities to practice clinical skills and interprofessional care.

A study in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine found that more than half of high school athletes in the US who use anabolic steroids report having sustained a concussion, compared with approximately a fifth of those who do not use steroids. A higher body mass index and increased aggression could increase the risk of concussion, researchers at the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at Cherokee Nation said.

Ohio has the fourth-highest number of opioid-related deaths, and an initiative led by Ohio University aims to prevent fentanyl overdoses by making naloxone accessible. Emergency naloxone access cabinets will be installed in high-traffic areas across the campus, and the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine's Heritage Community Clinic will help resupply the cabinets.

Registration for our highly anticipated annual conference will be opening soon -- stay tuned and keep our conference page bookmarked for the latest updates and early access. We hope to see you in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 17-19, as we revisit the roots of osteopathic medicine in the profession's founding state. Learn more.

AACOM UME-GME Task Force's Transition to Residency Working Group created the Unmatched Action Group to provide recommendations for colleges of osteopathic medicine to offer unmatched osteopathic medical graduates. This toolkit shares existing best practices to support unmatched students and offers alternative pathways for continued improvement.

We're partnering with Jaanuu to give away two free pairs of scrubs for advocates. Film a one-minute video to show your support for our two issues: the FAIR Act or the benefits of community-based training. After you submit your video and follow AACOM and Jaanuu on Instagram, you'll be entered to win. Learn more.

You'll also read about VCOM-Auburn Pre-Medical Day, WVSOM's new pathway partnership and VCOM-Louisiana's donations to their local community. Read more.