Convocation greeting from the Interim Senior Dean

Dear members of the Class of 2030,

Congratulations, and welcome to the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

It is truly my pleasure to welcome you to HCOM and to celebrate this important milestone with you. With the support of your family, friends, mentors, and loved ones, you have successfully navigated an exceptionally competitive admissions process and earned your place in the Heritage College Class of 2030. That is no small accomplishment, and I hope you take a moment to appreciate just how significant this moment is. You should be incredibly proud of all that you have achieved to get here.

By choosing Ohio University and the Heritage College, you are joining a proud and distinguished legacy that began in 1976, when our inaugural class of 24 students started their medical education in Athens. Since that time, the Heritage College has grown tremendously, expanding to Dublin in 2014 and Cleveland in 2015, and extending our reach across the state of Ohio. Through that growth, our mission has remained steadfast: to educate and train osteopathic physicians who are prepared to serve, lead, and improve the health of Ohio communities, with a particular commitment to primary care, research, and service to Appalachian, urban, and other underserved populations.

At HCOM, we place care at the center of everything we do. We are deeply committed to creating a learning environment that is supportive, collaborative, and grounded in compassion. We believe that when students are trained in a culture that values empathy, service, whole person care, and excellence, they become physicians who are not only clinically outstanding, but also deeply connected to the patients and communities they serve.

Our vision is simple but powerful: a healthier Ohio, empowered by compassionate osteopathic physicians. We want our graduates to be more than excellent clinicians. We want them to be leaders, advocates, and indispensable members of health care teams who improve health outcomes, advance health equity, and bring humanity to every patient encounter. Whether your future leads you into primary care, a specialty field, research, education, or community leadership, we are committed to preparing you to make a meaningful difference.

As you begin this journey, I hope you will embrace all that lies ahead. Medical school will challenge you, stretch you, and shape you in ways you may not yet fully imagine. There will be moments of excitement, moments of uncertainty, and moments that require resilience and perseverance. Through it all, I encourage you to remember that you are not walking this path alone. You are joining a community of classmates, faculty, staff, and mentors who are deeply invested in your success and committed to supporting you every step of the way.

You have chosen a profession rooted in service, purpose, and the privilege of caring for others. Today, we celebrate your entry into the osteopathic medical profession, a profession dedicated to excellence in patient care, whole person wellness, and improving the health of individuals, families, and communities. There is no better place to begin learning the art and science of osteopathic medicine than the Heritage College, where our mission, our people, and our values are all aligned in support of your growth as a future physician.

On behalf of the Heritage College, congratulations once again and welcome to the Class of 2030. We are honored that you have chosen to begin your medical education with us, and we look forward to watching you grow into the compassionate, skilled, and thoughtful physicians our communities need.

With warmest congratulations and best wishes for the journey ahead,

Jennifer L. Gwilym, D.O. ('03) Interim Senior Dean and Chief Academic Officer, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine