Student Leaders of Osteopathic Internal Medicine Association (SOIMA) Chosen in First Nationwide Election

Selection of SOIMA Officers Will Provide Increased Connection Amongst Chapters Around the Nation

News For Immediate Release

(November 29, 2022) The American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI), a national professional organization representing osteopathic internal medicine physicians and subspecialists, announces the results of the first national election of officers for the Student Osteopathic Internal Medicine Association (SOIMA). SOIMA chapters exist at more than 38 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine located at 62 locations in 35 states.

From colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) spanning from Arizona to Virgina, the following students were chosen in the October 2022 elections to serve in the Association’s leadership roles:

PRESIDENT
Joanna Manansala, OMS II
A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine – Phoenix, Arizona

PRESIDENT-ELECT
Christine Mayuga, OMS II
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Blacksburg, Virginia

SECRETARY-TREASURER
Breeana Wade, OMS II
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences – Yakima, Washington

The nationwide student chapters are affiliated with the ACOI to establish and maintain the highest educational, moral, and ethical standards in the teaching and practice of internal medicine. Created to connect students from COMs across the country, SOIMA provides a forum for osteopathic medical students interested in internal medicine and its subspecialties to gather and work together through one shared community. SOIMA serves as a liaison with the ACOI for the provision of information on training and career opportunities in internal medicine to osteopathic students.

Looking toward the upcoming year, the association’s officers will work to increase connection and communications amongst chapters across the country, and to ensure that students are aware of all the resources available to them. “ACOI provides a lot of mentoring opportunities and SOIMA is a great way to increase access to those mentors,” said President-Elect, Christine Mayuga, OMS-II, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“We are energized by the enthusiasm we are seeing from students eager to get involved,” said ACOI President, Joanne Kaiser-Smith, DO, FACOI. “In just over a week’s time, we had over 300 students join the ACOI! They are eager to be guided and to fully embrace who we are and what we do at the ACOI.”

About ACOI

Since 1941, the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI) has represented current and aspiring osteopathic internal medicine physicians and subspecialists. The ACOI provides leadership, networking, and education to help members be successful and stay true to why they pursued medicine. For more information, visit www.acoi.org.

Media Contact
Erin Ross
Director of Marketing and Communications
erin@acoi.org