Candidates for Region I Representative

Nirali Trivedi, OMS-III, Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine

Greetings to the medical student body of NSOIMA,
My name is Nirali Trivedi, and I am a third-year medical student at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. Some of you may remember meeting me at the 2025 ACOI Annual Convention in Marco Island, Florida, while others may recognize my name from the NSOIMA student newsletter. For those I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, I look forward to connecting with you. I am honored to seek your support as a candidate for Region 1 Representative of the National Student Osteopathic Internal Medicine Association for the 2026–2027 term.

My path to medicine has been shaped by resilience, service, and patient advocacy. After immigrating to the United States, I witnessed the challenges of navigating complex healthcare systems, inspiring me to pursue medicine as both a career and a platform for leadership and health equity.

In medical school, I have developed as a collaborative leader through roles such as Project Manager for a student-led preventive health screening initiative, volunteer with the NJ AHEC Scholars Program, and participant in the New Jersey State Health Policy Scholars Program. At my institution, I also served as a Student Success Mentor, mentoring peers and supporting student development.

Within NSOIMA, it has been a privilege to serve as Community Service Chair, where I worked to highlight and expand student-led service initiatives nationwide. This experience reinforced my belief that strong leadership within NSOIMA means empowering students, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that every chapter feels represented and supported.

As Region 1 Representative, I aim to:

• Strengthen communication between national leadership and local chapters by actively sharing updates on ACOI and NSOIMA initiatives
• Serve as an accessible and responsive liaison who listens to and advocates for the needs of students across Region 1
• Promote event planning and engagement and in research, advocacy, and conferences

Attending the ACOI Annual Convention last year further strengthened my commitment to this mission. Seeing students, residents, and physicians collaborate highlighted the power of our osteopathic community and the importance of strong regional connections in supporting student growth.

If elected Region 1 Representative, I will bring dedication, organization, and a strong commitment to amplifying the voices of students across our region while fostering meaningful connections between chapters and national leadership. Thank you for your time and for considering my candidacy.

 
Erin Tucker, OMS-III, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine- Elmira

I am Erin Tucker, and I am the candidate for Regional Representative to the American College of Osteopathic Internists. I became interested in this position from my school days growing up as a student, finding my place in the world of osteopathic internal medicine. Through it all, I have grown to appreciate how vital it is for someone to feel connected — to mentors and to opportunities, to a larger professional community. I’m running because I want to bring that same sense of connection and support to other students in my area. The things I would do as Regional Representative would be to make ACOI seem more accessible and useful for students. That means communicating opportunities more transparently, whether they’re conferences or mentoring opportunities, leadership opportunities or research opportunities, and motivating students to participate in them. I’m also the kind of person who listens deeply. Each student’s experience is unique, so strong representation begins with understanding those perspectives and advancing them meaningfully. Just as critically for me is creating a greater sense of community among students in our region. Medical training can be difficult and a network of peers who help one another and help you learn from them can have a massive impact. I am personable and dedicated, and I really care about us. It would be a privilege to represent our region to help provide the type of presence, community and support that students need in osteopathic internal medicine. Thank you very much.