20
COM Outlook . Winter 2015
one day be called
doctor
. It is unique
to feel the energy of so many others
who share similar passions in helping
others to find good health. Addition-
ally, I believe we have aspects of our
curriculum that are second to none.
Our simulated-patient experiences
and opportunities to interact with
mannequins in the Simulation Lab
will be invaluable resources as we
move forward in our careers to rota-
tions, residency, and active practice.
We are more fortunate than we often
realize to be earning an osteopathic
medical education from NSU’s Col-
lege of Osteopathic Medicine.”
Constructive Critique
Proves Illuminating
Although the students inter-
viewed were effusive in their NSU-
COM praise, they were equally
as enthusiastic to share their un-
abashed sentiments concerning the
policies, procedures, and programs
they would like to see eliminated,
implemented, or enhanced. Topics
mentioned covered the gamut from
board-exam prep and third- and
fourth-year rotations to establishing a
student-led clinic and instituting eve-
ning classes for struggling students.
“Listening to what the student
body discusses regarding time spent
studying and testing, I looked into
what has been consistent over the
years,” Faucheux said. “Each year,
students desire clinically related
and board-relevant material that
will prepare them for board exams,
clinical rotations, and life as a doc-
tor. One area students consistently
bring up is the sciences of OMS-I
year, with biochemistry as the focus
of conversation. One student-focused
change I would implement would
be to look into developing a more
board-relevant and clinically related
biochemistry curriculum, which
would help focus the course along
with fine-tuning the teaching style to
match the majority of students.”
If Julian had the authority to im-
plement a specific change, it would
be to “add an elective rotation into
the first semester of our third year.
Throughout our first two years of
medical school, we are told to keep
an open mind about the field we
would like to go into,” she explained.
“Although this is great advice, we
soon start our third year and find out
we must begin setting up audition
rotations in January. Suddenly, our
open minds must begin narrowing
in on the field of our choosing with
only a couple of core rotations under
our belt. An elective during the first
semester of our third year would
relieve a lot of stress by allowing
students to experience fields they are
considering prior to setting up their
audition rotations.”
Champion-Lippmann, who was
named NSU Student of the Year in
April at the university’s 15
th
Annual
Student Life Achievement Awards,
has a unique perspective to share
because, in her role as an esteemed
national student leader, she has been
intricately involved with the 30 col-
leges of osteopathic medicine that
currently exist in the United States.
Consequently, she has networked
with numerous students from NSU-
COM’s sister schools and gained
firsthand knowledge of how these
colleges operate.
Because of the inimitable vantage
point she has attained in her NSU
student career, Champion-Lippmann
freely offered her assessment on
various aspects of the NSU-COM
educational experience. “I think it’s
important to pay more attention to
individual students’ learning styles
as many learn better in small groups
with physician facilitators or on their
own,” she said. “In addition, I don’t
think it’s necessary for the college
to require attendance (except for
labs), e-books, or specific board prep
RESEARCH ON THE RISE:
NSU’s Center for Collaborative Research, which is currently under
construction and scheduled to be completed in 2016, will house an IBM supercomputer, one of
Florida’s largest wet labs, and some of the world’s most accomplished researchers.
