The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) will host a presentation titled “Spirituality and Osteopathic Medicine” on Thursday, Feb. 28. The event, which is part of the school’s annual Celebrate Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Week, is free and open to the public.

“Spirituality and Osteopathic Medicine” will begin with a dinner from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by a presentation by two WVSOM faculty members from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., in the Conference Center on the second floor of WVSOM’s Student Center. Dr. Robert Foster, the school’s associate dean for osteopathic medical education, and faculty member Dr. Charles McClung will speak to the role spirituality plays in the osteopathic medical profession.

One of the four tenets of osteopathic medicine states that “the person is a unit of body, mind and spirit.” Foster said the event will explore that aspect of the osteopathic philosophy.

“This is a chance for the community to see what we teach related to spirituality and give them a greater understanding of osteopathic uniqueness,” said Foster, who organizes COM Week each year. “Research shows that most people want their spirituality addressed in medicine, but they’re afraid to bring it up because they don’t know whether doctors are open to it. We want students to become physicians who can help people with that side of their nature.”

Also during COM Week, WVSOM’s Medical Muslim Student Association will host a presentation on fasting around the world and a fast-a-thon meal at 5:30 p.m., March 1, in the Roland P. Sharp Alumni Conference Center. The event is open to the public.

Lewisburg Mayor John Manchester signed a proclamation on Feb. 19 declaring Feb. 24-Mar. 2 to be Celebrate Osteopathic Medicine Week in the city.

WVSOM’s COM Week accompanies the American Osteopathic Association’s National Osteopathic Medicine (NOM) Week, observed this year on Apr. 14-20. NOM Week is intended to bring members of the osteopathic community together to raise awareness of osteopathic medicine and D.O.s in communities nationwide.