Colquitt High Students Get Hands-on Experience at PCOM South Georgia
February 19, 2020
PCOM South Georgia's new SPARK program is designed to expose local youth to careers
in healthcare and science as well as improve college readiness.
About 100 students from Colquitt County High School spent the morning at PCOM South Georgia on Thursday, February 6, as the first participants of the new SPARK program. SPARK
(Students Progressing in Academics from Readiness and Knowledge) is a pipeline program
created by the admissions team at PCOM South Georgia.
“We designed this program to teach high school students about osteopathic medicine
and how they can get into the medical field,” Dana Brooks, assistant director of admissions,
said. “We want to spark their interest and see them become students of PCOM South
Georgia and eventually practice medicine locally.”
Jennifer Shaw, PhD, and Jason Walker, PhD, associate professors of physiology, guided the students in
a session that focused on the electrical activity and mechanics of the heart. Students
identified the four compartments of the heart and arranged the proper sequence of
blood flow. Dr. Walker was happy to spend the morning with local students and get
them interested in health care at a young age.
“Who better to practice here than the people who are raised here?” he said.
Students then toured the osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lab on campus, learning how OMM treatments help patient structure and function by watching
Kristie Petree, DO ’13, OMM Site Director, demonstrate different types of osteopathic manipulative treatment
techniques. Dr. Petree fielded questions and explained to the students what it means
to be an osteopathic physician and how to get from high school to medical school.
“Students were able to see that this is really a possibility for them,” Dr. Petree
said. “Not only can they become a physician, but they can do it right here in their
hometown.”
Faculty members then gave students an up-close view of the human heart, lungs and
brain in the anatomy lab. Sebastian Egberts, instructor of anatomy; Leslie McIntosh, PhD, assistant professor of anatomy; Orhan
Arslan, PhD, professor of anatomy and neuroscience and Shiv Dhiman, MD, associate
professor of anatomy, discussed the functions of the heart, lungs and brain, focusing
on the structure of the central nervous system. Dr. Arslan noticed the attentiveness
and curiosity of the students during the lesson and believes it’s all because of the
practical approach.
“Actually seeing the anatomy lab and getting familiar with the anatomical structure
really makes a difference and stimulates their minds,” Dr. Arslan said. “When students
are exposed to this type of learning at the high school level, we have found that
they are more likely to pursue a career in health care.”
According to Brooks, the goal of SPARK is to expose students to osteopathic medicine,
foster confidence in students of underserved communities to help them in choosing
a career in healthcare, promote leadership in the surrounding communities, boost interest
in the sciences and improve college and career readiness knowledge. By providing hands-on experience to students, PCOM South Georgia hopes to inspire
change and action in the medically underserved communities, as well as the communities
surrounding the campus.
In 2019, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a premier osteopathic
medical school with a storied 125-year history, extended its commitment to the Southeast
by establishing PCOM South Georgia. An additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia, PCOM South Georgia offers both
a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. PCOM is a private, not-for-profit
institution that trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields.
Joining PCOM Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state, PCOM South Georgia
focuses on educating physicians for the region. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 229-668-3110.
Contact Us
Cindy B. Montgomery Public Relations and Social Media Manager Email: cindymo@pcom.edu Office: 229-668-3198 | Cell: 229-873-2003