Medical school is a challenging experience that often leaves little spare time for outside pursuits, but students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) gave up their Saturday to perform volunteer work for five organizations in Greenbrier County.
On Apr. 20, students participated in the second annual National D.O. Day of Service, a project of the American Association of College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents. The event gives aspiring osteopathic physicians a chance to offer assistance in their communities, benefiting local organizations and increasing public awareness of osteopathic medicine.
Esabelle Gervasio, a WVSOM Class of 2026 student who tracks students’ volunteer activity as the school’s T.O.U.C.H. (Translating Osteopathic Understanding Into Community Health) coordinator, oversaw this year’s Day of Service. She said the event is valuable in giving medical students a way to connect with and serve local residents.
“The D.O. Day of Service is a great way for students to come together at the end of the school year and get to know community members better. We appreciate everyone who participated,” Gervasio said. “This year we looked to reach as much of Greenbrier County as we could. We appreciate our local organizations and all they do for the community, and we were honored to be able to play a role in helping with their missions.”
At Peyton Hospice House in Lewisburg, students performed building maintenance and did yard work. At West Virginia Helping Hands, a planned community education center and emergency shelter in Ronceverte, students helped prepare the facility for renovation and sorted through clothes and kitchen supplies.
At Bethlehem Farms, a nonprofit organization in Alderson that focuses on sustainable living, students assisted in splitting and storing wood, weeding, gardening and house cleaning. At God’s Way Home, a faith-based substance use recovery home in Rainelle, students packaged boxes of food that will be distributed to the area’s unhoused population. And at the Marvel Center, a child care and early learning center in Rupert, students helped reorganize storage so that the organization can better accommodate donations.
Brendyn Allison, a Class of 2026 student who assisted at Bethlehem Farms, said he found the experience memorable.
“Witnessing the resilience of those living off the land and cultivating their own food was humbling and enlightening,” he said. “It was a reminder of the profound connection between humanity and nature, and I’m blessed to have been a part of it.”
The National D.O. Day of Service took place in conjunction with the American Osteopathic Association’s National Osteopathic Medicine Week, which this year was designated as Apr. 15-21.