ACOI Boot Camp at VCOM-Virginia: Hands-On Clinical Skills Training Featuring Pericardiocentesis Models

On February 27, 2026, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine–Virginia (VCOM-Virginia) chapter of SOIMA hosted a hands-on Boot Camp showcasing essential clinical skills that students will encounter throughout their careers as physicians. Watch the highlight reel to get a taste of what went on at this event!

The Boot Camp featured the following skill stations:

• Brand-new pericardiocentesis models (a procedure most medical schools do not formally teach)
• Blood typing
• EKG placement and interpretation
• Suturing practice
• IV placement

This event was coordinated and planned over several months by our Infectious Disease Chair, Shay Musa, who dedicated significant time working alongside faculty and our simulation center to create an experience featuring skills that many students at our institution have not previously encountered. This effort established the foundation and framework for how future Boot Camps will be organized and executed within the organization. This event also served as a transition experience for our newly elected incoming officers. Outgoing officers organized and taught the stations, while incoming officers shadowed event coordination, assisted with teaching, and participated in skills training. It was an intentional way to pass down leadership, logistics, and teaching experience in real time.

Most notably, the pericardiocentesis station featured never-before-seen models that allowed students to aspirate and withdraw fluid from the pericardial sac during a simulated cardiac tamponade scenario. The station was taught by emergency medicine physician Alison LePera, DO, PhD, who provided invaluable clinical insight and instruction.

Over the past several months, Dr. LePera and I have also been using this opportunity as a research initiative. The project compares a student-made, lower-fidelity pericardiocentesis model with a higher-fidelity model created using institutional resources. The goal is to evaluate whether a lower-cost, student-developed model can provide comparable educational value. This station highlighted how ACOI members are not only learning and teaching procedural skills, but also contributing to medical education research and expanding the literature in innovative ways.

Incoming President Judith Cansler led the ultrasound station, guiding students in identifying specific anatomical structures on their own bodies. This hands-on approach reinforced anatomy knowledge and directly translated to improved understanding at the pericardiocentesis station.

The blood typing station was led by incoming Infectious Disease Chair Zachary Lowe and incoming Hematology/Oncology Chair Elise Candelario. Students who did not know their blood type were able to learn the process and identify their ABO blood group—an essential piece of knowledge for any future physician.

Our EKG placement and interpretation station was led by outgoing Treasurer Kaity Hockenberry and incoming Cardiology Chair Cameron Jones. They demonstrated proper lead placement and walked students through interpretation of complex clinical scenarios—particularly valuable for first-year students preparing to enter their cardiopulmonary block.

Suturing practice was led by outgoing Infectious Disease Chair Shay Musa and incoming Dermatology Chair Ramina Arshadmansab. Students practiced a range of techniques, from foundational sutures to more advanced and intricate patterns.

IV placement was led by President of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) student chapter at VCOM, Benjamin Burkett, who demonstrated IV insertion on a model capable of draining blood-like fluid. Students received step-by-step instruction, practical tips, and discussion on clinical indications—a skill that will be highly useful in their future practice.

Overall, the Boot Camp was a tremendous success, with strong participation and meaningful hands-on learning. It showcased the ability of ACOI/SOIMA members to teach, lead, and conduct research simultaneously.

As the outgoing President of the SOIMA chapter at VCOM-Virginia, it has been an honor to serve our class, collaborate with dedicated faculty, and support our broader community. I am excited to see what this new leadership team will accomplish in the coming year as they continue to provide impactful training opportunities, strengthen physician connections, and serve both students and the community.

Incoming ACOI Board:
President: Judith Cansler
Vice President: Alex Giang
Secretary: Jaileen “Jai” Myers
Treasurer: Caitlin Bing-Zaremba
Radiology Chair: Tyler Shaywitz
Dermatology Chair: Ramina Arshadmansab
Heme/Onc Chair: Elise Candelario
Cardiology Chair: Cameron Jones
Infectious Disease Chair: Zachary Lowe