ATSU-KCOM student Todd T. has served many underserved populations as a student physician. He says he wouldn’t have had many of those experiences without the Lester R. Mylander, DO, Endowed Financial Award.
"Think globally, act locally" is a mantra that reminds A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) student Todd T. of his past and that is a motivator for the future.
Todd, a fourth-year student, is currently undergoing clinical rotations in Columbus, Ohio, and found his passion for medicine through scuba diving. One of his favorite pastimes, scuba diving, has taken him to many international locales where—beyond the beauty of the beachfront resorts—he would often find areas vastly underserved in terms of medical care. He saw how desperate some populations were, but also how the most basic medical care changed their lives for the better. He knew then that he wanted to be a physician.
But after taking the MCAT, Todd was sidelined when a car accident left him bedridden. He had to learn how to walk again. During his rehabilitation, he was treated by an osteopathic physician. Through manipulative treatment and patient-centered care, Todd was able to rehabilitate himself with minimal use of medication. His experience, coupled with his desire to treat the underserved, led to his desire to practice osteopathic medicine.
The Lester R. Mylander, DO, Endowed Financial Award was established in memory of Lester R. Mylander, DO, 1917, right.
As a student at ATSU-KCOM, Todd has twice been awarded the Lester R. Mylander, DO, Endowed Financial Award. This scholarship, created by friends and family in memory of ATSU-KCOM alumnus Lester Mylander, DO, 1917, not only eased the financial burden of medical school, but also allowed Todd to partake in experiences that otherwise would not have been possible.
Todd has been on outreach trips, providing medical care to those in underserved areas. On a trip to Vietnam, he connected with his mentor and chair of ATSU's Board of Trustees, G. Scott Drew, DO, '87, FAOCD.
As a student, he hosted a radio show called "The P.I.T.," or "Physicians in Training," that featured student doctors speaking on topics relevant to the undergraduate population at Truman State University. He also co-founded the student organization Still Caring Health Connection that provided high-quality, patient-centered health and dental care for uninsured residents in northeast Missouri. In collaboration with Volunteers in Medicine, the organization was awarded a $21,000 grant from the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation.
Todd also helped start a 10-week elective course for students at ATSU's Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH). The course, titled "Primary Care Evaluation and Diagnostics for the Dentist," focuses on teaching dental students about physical exam skills, common chronic diseases, and the tenets of osteopathy and how it relates to whole person healthcare. This course further establishes the inter-professional relationship between ATSU-KCOM and ATSU-MOSDOH students.