The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) hosted Celebrate Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Week beginning Sept. 29, featuring a series of events honoring the osteopathic profession and its im-pact on health care and communities.
The week included a presentation by Deborah Schmidt, D.O., a WVSOM professor who specializes in osteopathic manipulative medicine. A Lewisburg native and a 1988 graduate of WVSOM, Schmidt will share details of her journey to osteopathic medicine and re-flect on the role community has played throughout her career of more than 35 years.
As a longtime WVSOM faculty member, Schmidt has mentored many future physicians. She integrates osteo-pathic medical principles with acupuncture and a deep understanding of anatomy and physiology.
On Sept. 8, Lewisburg Mayor Beverly White signed a proclamation declaring Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2025, to be Celebrate Osteopathic Medicine Week in the city. The proclamation encourages citizens and organizations to support the observance and raise awareness about the role of D.O.s in health care.
Jean Rettos, D.O., chair of WVSOM’s Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice, emphasized the See “WVSOM” long history and current upward trajectory of osteopath-ic medicine.
“The osteopathic profession has provided a distinct philosophy of health care for more than 150 years and is one of the fastest-growing segments of health care in the U.S.,” Rettos said. “We’re grateful that the Lewisburg community is a contributor to the success of WVSOM and its students.”
Today, more than 25% of U.S. medical students are enrolled at osteopathic medical schools. D.O.s practice in all specialties.
In addition to the public event, WVSOM will host three presentations for the school’s internal community with the theme of “Against the Odds: Utilizing Individ-ual Challenges and Becoming the Best Osteopathic Phy-sician Possible.” These sessions will feature physicians whose past personal challenges inform their patient care, including Rebecca Huston, D.O., deputy chief of staff at Chillicothe Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Chad Po-age, D.O., a Lewisburg-based orthopedic surgeon and an alumnus of WVSOM’s Class of 2009; and Andrew Yuan, D.O., a physical medicine and rehabilitation spe-cialist who practices in Fairfield, Connecticut.
