The ACOPedscast Podcast Series

Episode 036 - Staying Safe in the Summer

With no special guests this month, Scott and Jason share the mic to discuss a very important and timely topic, especially as much of the country has been facing record high temperatures to kick off the Summer of 2024. June is the month of children putting away the schoolbooks and putting on the swimsuits and summer sports gear. While outdoor activity is vitally important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is equally as essential to ensure that children, adults, are taking part in these activities safely. From wearing proper protection on bicycles, to life vests in the water, and recognizing the signs of heat related illnesses, Scott and Jason cover a broad spectrum of ways to ensure that the whole family has fun while taking the proper precautions for a day in the sun and the heat.
The two also share some of their plans for the summer months, which includes getting to meet up with each other in person when they both attend the 2024 AOA House of Delegates meeting in Chicago! Of course, what would an ACOPedscast be if there wasn’t at least a little discussion about ways to get involved and serve your profession whether it be as part of a specialty college or in this case as a member of your state and local osteopathic organizations. Happy listening! And we will see you in July when hopefully there will be a guest to help keep these two on topic!
Don’t forget! If you have an idea for an episode of the ACOPedscast or would like to be a guest to talk about something you are working on or have recently achieved, please reach out at Pedscast@acopeds.org and let us know!

Episode 035 - Sitting down with ACOP 2024 Career Achievement Award Recipient - Dr. Ava Stanczak

This month’s ACOPedscast is truly a special one as co-hosts Scott and Jason sit down with this year’s recipient of the ACOP Career Achievement Award, Dr. Ava Stanczak, DO, FACOP. Dr. Stanczak is a true pillar of the ACOP community having served as a preceptor, mentor, instructor, and Dean to numerous osteopathic medical students and trainees at various institutions.
Over the course of the conversation, Dr. Stanczak takes us on a journey of her storied career, from working as a respiratory therapist to make ends meet while also in medical school to eventually being called upon to found pediatric programs at developing osteopathic medical schools, and describes what has always been a driving force in her decision making both professionally and personally.
With the double feature of Dr. Stanczak and our current Watson Lecture designee in co-host Scott Cyrus, this episode is a wealth of inspiration for any listener regardless of where you are in your journey.
We are always looking for topic ideas and guests. Contact Scott and Jason at Pedscast@acopeds.org if you are interested. Be sure to like, subscribe, and set up automatic downloads on whatever platform you listen stream your podcasts on to always have the most up-to-date episodes on your computer or mobile device! Scheduled episodes out every fourth Wednesday of the month!!

Episode 034 - Live on Location... the importance of being a Physician Advocate

With this special episode co-hosts Scott and Jason explore the importance of serving as an advocate for our profession and our patients. This episode was recorded live on location from the historic Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC, as your hosts prepared for the kickoff of the 2024 AOA DO Day on Capitol Hill legislative conference.  
Both Jason and Scott see this week in DC advocating for the osteopathic profession and our patients as equally important to what we do on a daily basis as we advocate for our patients and their families every day in our clinics or hospital units. Only by advocating for the ongoing support of our profession can we continue to provide the care that we do to our patients, and it takes us building these relationships with policy makers on both the local and national level to ensure that our needs and the needs of our patients remains in the forefront of their minds.  
Jason and Scott discuss their paths to becoming champions of healthcare advocacy and why these opportunities continue to recharge their batteries annually. They also discuss ways that you can get involved at any level and how you can start to create your own “advocacy portfolio” as you progress through your osteopathic medical journey, wherever you may be on that path. 
Do you want to share your advocacy journey? Or do you have another special story you’d like to share with the ACOP community? We are always looking for guests to join us for our monthly podcast!! Contact Scott and Jason at Pedscast@acopeds.org to arrange a guest appearance!! 

Episode 033 - Celebrating Match Day and Looking Ahead to Denver!

Sometimes happy accidents happen, and this month’s episode is one of those. Due to a scheduling conflict, we could not get our scheduled guest; so a last minute audible led to one of our most exciting and interactive episodes yet! With the help of some quick recruiting and the help of some friends, Scott and Jason are joined this month by a great panel of guests for this celebratory Pedscast.
ACOP fourth year student trustee Jasmine Yu and her classmate Savanna Stoy from Rocky Vista University join us first to share their stories from the recent ACGME Match Week. Student Doctor Yu matched into her selected specialty of Emergency Medicine and Student Doctor Stoy will be joining the ACOP family as a pediatrics resident! The two share openly about the nerves around receiving the first email on the Monday of Match Week and how they both managed to keep themselves distracted until the big day, 5 days later when the official email with the Match location comes in on Friday of the week. We also take a look back at our January Pedscast when Student Doctor Yu also joined us to discuss managing VSLO and the Match process to discuss what advice was helpful, and now having gone through the process were there any surprises or other information that they wish they had known. Congratulations to both Student Doctors Yu and Stoy, and to all of our OMS-4’s who are celebrating this magnificent milestone in your osteopathic medical journey!!
Also joining the panel this month are the ACOP third year Student Trustee Madison Craft, OMS-2 and Student CME Chair Sukriti Prashar, and ACOP Board of Trustee member and Chair of the CME Committee David King, DO to talk about the exciting offerings for osteopathic pediatricians and pediatricians in training at our annual Spring CME Conference being held April 25-28 at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in beautiful Broomfield, CO, just minutes outside of Denver! With the theme of Bringing Osteopathy Back we have a program dedicated to integrating OMM into your daily practice in addition to more of the excellent talks by the nation’s experts that you have come to expect from the ACOP CME committee. For our medical students, the Spring CME also includes a dedicated student track built based on your requests and a moderated poster session where you can share your work… and this year we have 46 abstracts to celebrate!
Looking for ways to get involved as a student?? Contact our Student Trustees at ACOPstudents@gmail.com. You can also contact Jason and Scott at Pedscast@acopeds.org if you have any requests, recommendations, or would like to join us for an episode to share your successes. You can also find information on how to register for the upcoming conference and secure your room at the Omni Interlocken by following this link: Upcoming ACOP Conferences – American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP) (acopeds.org).  

Episode 032 - Spotlight on Students - Not all heroes wear capes... but some do!

Scott and Jason love noting more than to take the opportunity to turn the spotlight to one of the remarkable osteopathic medical students out there doing amazing things, and when they heard about this particular student they knew that they needed to have her on the Pedscast to share her story with the listeners. In this month’s episode Student Doctor Brianna Leonardo, OMS-III from Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine sits down with our hosts to discuss how she took an early hobby and passion and has turned it into a truly international operation.  
Student Doctor Leonardo take us through how she used her passion for art, theatre and in particular costume design and cosplay and used it to create Heroes 4 Hire New England, an organization that now consists of over 45 individuals and the capacity to bring more than 200 of your favorite characters to life. She discusses the group’s roots and how it has evolved as she has continued through her medical training.  She also talks about how this experience has helped shape her as a future pediatrician, not just by experiencing the happiness in a child’s eyes when they get to connect with their favorite super her but also teaching her how art and medicine blend together in the need to be constantly taking in the information around you and evolving y our approach to connect with another human being. We also talk about the very practical lessons learned when it comes to time management, people management, and even a little bit of copyright law is thrown in. 
If you are looking to be inspired by the amazing acts of our medical students, or even feeling like you have a passion for the arts and wonder how it can be incorporated into your life as a physician or physician-in-training, this episode is a MUST listen! 
If you would like to learn more about Heroes 4 Hire New England (or even have them at one of your functions, as you will learn while listening to the episode they have gone almost everywhere!) you can see more at : https://fb.watch/ql8bmCpJ7P/ or you can contact Student Doctor Leonardo at heroes4hire001@outlook.com .  
If you are a student with a passion that you would love to share with the ACOP Community, or if you have any other ideas for topics you’d like to hear Scott and Jason discuss don’t hesitate to reach out at Pedscast@ACOPeds.org with your requests. Guests are always welcome in the “studio”.  
Until Next Month!! 

Episode 031 - Welcome 2024! What to look forward to... and look out for.

For the first official episode of 2024 we go back to the basics with just Scott and Jason at the microphones. Scott, freshly back from a trip to the other side of the World, kicks us off talking about what he is most excited for in the upcoming year – spoiler alert – it's more of the great offerings from the ACOP and the chance to get together with colleagues and friends.  They also take a moment to celebrate each other, and all of you having just recognized National Pediatricians’ Day. 
A discussion about vaccinations leads to a candid discussion about how to protect yourself and stay focused in an environment that has become so highly charged about so many things going on in the world and tips on how to both keep yourself grounded and focused on the patient and the physician family relationship; even if that means recognizing when that that relationship is beyond repair and the best thing to do is to go separate ways.  
With the CDC recently sending out another warning about the spreading measles epidemic, Scott gives us a quick reminder of what to be on the look-out for in our clinics and rotations since many of us have not seen a measles patient before.  
And just to end on a light note stick around to the end to hear about some exciting things the ACOP and the Pedscast have in store for 2024. Thanks as always to you our listeners for your continued support. We want to wish you all a very happy belated National Pediatricians’ (and Pediatricians in training) Day, a happy new year, and we look forward to seeing you all in the months to come! 
  

Episode 030 - VSLO, Audition Rotations, and Suriving OMS Year 4

Jason, Scott and the rest of the ACOP wants to wish all of you a very Happy and Healthy 2024. To kick off this year’s ACOPedscast we have a special episode coming out at the start of the month geared specifically for OMS-3 listeners who are preparing to start scheduling your fourth year away rotations. Recorded at the end of 2023, Jason and Scott sit down with Fourth Year Student Trustee Member, Jasmine Yu and her classmate Lauren Tice to discuss their experiences with all things fourth year.  
We discuss everything from enjoying some well-earned free time, to balancing Board prep with studying for rotations, and of course the ever daunting task of navigating through VSLO to arrange for away rotations. Our guest discuss what they felt helped, advice the had been given, and things they wish they knew heading into fourth year.  
This candid and wide-ranging conversation is a must-listen resource for students preparing for your final year of medical school.  
For further information regarding some of the resources discussed in the podcast you can look at: 
www.furnishedfinder.com or www.rotatingroom.com for information about how to secure housing for rotations. Both Student Doctor Yu and Tice have agreed to answer further questions. If you have any please send them to Pedscast@acopeds.org and we will forward them to our guests for answering.  
Thanks always for your continued listening and support of our podcast and other ACOP publications. Be on the lookout for more opportunities coming in 2024 to get involved. If you have any questions or requests, reach out to Jason and Scott at pedscast@acopeds.org. 
Happy New Year! 
 

Episode 029 - Burrell COM and the JEDI Program

This month we get to take another opportunity to highlight some of the amazing work that our Osteopathic Medical Student community is doing to further Osteopathic Medicine. Jason and Scott sit down with two extraordinary student doctors from Scott’s own institution, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Student Doctors Alberto Velasco and Anusia Mansukhani to discuss the creation and continued expansion of their Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, or JEDI Program.  
Created by Student Doctor Velasco as a means to help incorporate DEI educational initiatives into osteopathic medical school activities and instruction; the JEDI program has now become a nationally recognized addition to osteopathic education in the process of being rolled out to now 27 Osteopathic Medical Schools.  Using the guidance set forth by the program students and educators can incorporate culturally congruent components to any lecture or extracurricular event with the goal of creating a more open, welcoming, inclusive, and just culture within the osteopathic medical community. By training our students to celebrate the diversity of not only the osteopathic medical community, but also the people we serve, the creators of the JEDI Program hope to create a new generation of Osteopathic Physicians prepared to care for the diverse population in a respectful and culturally competent manner.  
Student Doctor Mansukhani, founder of the Burrell COM South Asian Medical Student Association,  shares some personal stories on how she has taken the JEDI principles to create both her organization and special events at her school to celebrate the Festival of Diwali while providing education to the students and faculty about the vibrant history behind the Holiday and her culture.  
For more information about the JEDI program and how you can start incorporating it into your school’s or club’s activities you can go to: https://burrell.edu/students/organizations-and-outreach/jedi/ to find how more.  
As always you can contact Jason and Scott at Pedscast@ACOPeds.org with any questions, comments, or thoughts on upcoming episodes.  A brief production note: while the hosts do plan on recording an episode in the month of December, due to scheduling, clinical duties, and setting aside time to be with family for the Holidays this will be the last episode for 2023. We want to wish you all a safe and happy Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year. We are grateful for your continued support and look forward to bringing you some great episodes – starting with 2 episodes in January – in the coming year! 
~Jason and Scott~ 

Episode 028 - RSV, COVID, and Flu... Oh My!!

As has become tradition this time of year, Jason and Scott sit down with our current recipient of the Career Achievement Award and the AOA liaison to the ACIP, Dr. Stan Grogg, DO, to go over the most recent updates on vaccines and preventative measures as we head into respiratory virus season.
The three had plenty to discuss with the roll-out of the new vaccines against RSV for pregnant parents and those over 65 years old, as well as the newest monoclonal antibody to help prevent the disease in our neonatal population.  Dr. Grogg answers some of what have been the most frequently asked questions about these exciting new advancements in battling RSV.
No respiratory virus talk would be complete without discussing the latest science and evidence-based recommendations surrounding COVID or the flu as well, so the trio also dive into what we should be advising our patients when it comes to staying protected from the latest iterations of these illnesses as well.
Always a treasure chest of information and education, Dr. Grogg provides some of the scientific background behind the formation of these measures as well as the evidence behind the recommendations, making this a must listen for everyone regardless of your stage in your education or career.
We want to thank Dr. Grogg for his tremendous wealth of knowledge and his continued generosity in sharing it with us. As he cycles off of the ACIP, we want to wish him all the best with the utmost gratitude. While he may be retiring form this post, he has no intentions of slowing down. Visit www.powerofanickel.org to learn about his medical mission trips and to see if there is an upcoming opportunity to join him.
For more information about the vaccines and injections we discuss in this episode you can go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines or to www.vaccines.gov to find a location near you to receive protection for the upcoming season.
As always, Jason and Scott can be reached at pedscast@acopeds.org if you have any feedback or recommendations for future episodes. We would love to hear from you!

Episode 027 - Meet our 2023-24 Student Trustees: Student Doctors Jasmine Yu and Madison Craft

This is annual Pedscast episode is always one of the favorites for Jason and Scott because it gives them an opportunity to highlight the important contribution that our Medical Student members make to the ACOP. As the academic year gets into full swing, we sit down with our returning and new Student Members to the Board of Trustees; Student Doctor Jasmine Yu, OMS-IV and Student Doctor Madison Craft, OMS-III.  
In this episode Jason and Scott chat with our student trustees about what drew them to the ACOP and pediatrics, how they were able to get involved early, and what they hope to accomplish during this 2023-24 academic school year. They also provide some tips and tricks about how you can start getting involved at the local and national level in the ACOP. 
This is a great episode for first and second year students who are interested in learning about how to get involved, and also for our entire listening community to get to know a little bit more about some of the people working hard behind the scenes to make the ACOP the organization that it is.  
Have an idea for a Pedscast episode? Contact us at Pedscast@acopeds.org and let us know!!