COM Outlook Winter 2021

4 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE Farewell and good riddance, 2020! Not even a Hollywood screenwriter could have scripted a more bizarre plot than the actual events that unfolded in the past year. Whether it was a world-altering pandemic, rampant racial injustice, or head-scratching political mayhem, 2020 will surely go down as a year to forget for most of us. To help address the enduring societal issue of racial injustice, NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM) decided to tackle these topics head-on by establishing the Unity Program for Change, which you can read about in this issue of COM Outlook . Expanding on these themes, we solicited the students to share their stories regarding the types of discrimination they have experienced in their young lives. In addition to the students’ revealing accounts of encountering various forms of cultural, gender, racial, and sexual-orientation bias, the article “Taking a Stand” discusses the ways the college’s empathetic future physicians are doing their part to elicit positive change. From participating in peaceful protests to creating fervent calls to action, KPCOM students are mobilizing their efforts to make their voices heard—and make a difference. As we enter 2021, COVID-19 remains an unwelcome intruder in our lives. Consequently, there are several stories in this issue that address how members of the KPCOM community are aiding humanity as the pandemic approaches its deadly one-year anniversary. In the article “Combating COVID,” 1985 KPCOM alumnus Dr. Bruce Rankin discusses how the clinical research facility he works at is doing its part by participating in two of the first major COVID-19 vaccine trials in the United States. From an internal perspective, the article “Curricular Conundrum: Operational Ingenuity Exhibited During COVID-19 Pandemic” provides an overview of how the KPCOM and its various programs adapted to the educational challenges posed by COVID-19. There’s also a heartwarming piece by second-year student Aneil Tawakalzada that details the various student fundraising efforts, which raised more than $26,000 for those suffering in Lebanon and Yemen. Although 2020 was a brutal year for many reasons, it was uplifting to witness the activism, altruism, and dedication that are on frequent display at the KPCOM— a college that is truly doing its part to make the world a better place. Scott Colton, B.A., APR HPD Director of Medical Communications and Public Relations EDITOR’S Exchange Although 2020 was a brutal year for many reasons, it was uplifting to witness the activism, altruism, and dedication that are on frequent display at the KPCOM—a college that is truly doing its part to make the world a better place.