SOMA Foundation Spring Travel Grant
Deadline - April 2, 2023 @ 11:59 pm ET
Four (4) Osteopathic medical students will receive reimbursement for up to $500 and the award will be distributed at the annual spring SOMA convention in Washington D.C. The winners of the travel grant are required to participate in the SOMA Foundation Spring service project held during the SOMA Spring conference.
Spring 2022 Recipients

Caitlyn Snead, OMS-III
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia
“Thank you so much for your generosity in funding the SOMA Spring Convention Travel Grant through the SOMA Foundation. I wanted to express my gratitude and tell you a bit about myself.
Choosing to become involved in SOMA has allowed me to be submerged in a caring community that encourages me to become an agent of change. While entering the Blacksburg community in the middle of the pandemic was challenging, it was important to me to find opportunities to connect and give back. Learning about advocacy efforts at the medical education level has provided me a landing ground for my passions and energy. I became involved in leadership, where I served as the SOMA National Liaison Officer for Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus. I implemented the National SOMA Social Medicine Program at our campus, and worked with interested students in learning about the Resolution proposal process with hopes of submitting our own Resolutions in the future.
Thank you again for your generous support. Without your assistance, the possibility of attending conferences and learning about the latest advocacy efforts would be limited. I look forward to attending my first in-person conference in the coming weeks."
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia
“Thank you so much for your generosity in funding the SOMA Spring Convention Travel Grant through the SOMA Foundation. I wanted to express my gratitude and tell you a bit about myself.
Choosing to become involved in SOMA has allowed me to be submerged in a caring community that encourages me to become an agent of change. While entering the Blacksburg community in the middle of the pandemic was challenging, it was important to me to find opportunities to connect and give back. Learning about advocacy efforts at the medical education level has provided me a landing ground for my passions and energy. I became involved in leadership, where I served as the SOMA National Liaison Officer for Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus. I implemented the National SOMA Social Medicine Program at our campus, and worked with interested students in learning about the Resolution proposal process with hopes of submitting our own Resolutions in the future.
Thank you again for your generous support. Without your assistance, the possibility of attending conferences and learning about the latest advocacy efforts would be limited. I look forward to attending my first in-person conference in the coming weeks."

Dina Shakran, OMS-III
California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine
"I am very honored to have been chosen as one of the recipients for this vear's SOMA Spring Convention Travel Grant! Being in the inaugural class of California Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine and establishing the SOMA Chapter at our school has been an incredibly rewarding journey and I am excited to continue to see it flourish and make an impact at our school. Having the opportunity to attend Spring Convention in Washington D.C. means that I will have the opportunity to interact with other SOMA chapters and solidify the passion that I have towards the osteopathic profession and how I can make a difference currently as a medical student and later in my career as a physician. It is also incredibly important for our school to attend this meeting, as we will gain national recognition from SOMA and cement the presence of our school at National SOMA level.
This will be my first conference that I will attend as a medical student, and for it to be related to SOMA brings me great joy. I am excited to meet with all the SOMA chapters and interact with all the Region administrator as I step into my new role as Region V Administrator for the Overdose Prevention Task Force. I am also excited to represent CHSU-COM in the House of Delegates as we get to have a say in what our futures as osteopathic medical students and physicians will look like. The support from the SOMA Foundation and its donors is incredibly generous and will have a lasting impact on my personal journey through osteopathic medicine. Thank you for your generosity and for granting me the opportunity to advance my medical career and explore more of what osteopathic medicine can offer now and in the future."
California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine
"I am very honored to have been chosen as one of the recipients for this vear's SOMA Spring Convention Travel Grant! Being in the inaugural class of California Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine and establishing the SOMA Chapter at our school has been an incredibly rewarding journey and I am excited to continue to see it flourish and make an impact at our school. Having the opportunity to attend Spring Convention in Washington D.C. means that I will have the opportunity to interact with other SOMA chapters and solidify the passion that I have towards the osteopathic profession and how I can make a difference currently as a medical student and later in my career as a physician. It is also incredibly important for our school to attend this meeting, as we will gain national recognition from SOMA and cement the presence of our school at National SOMA level.
This will be my first conference that I will attend as a medical student, and for it to be related to SOMA brings me great joy. I am excited to meet with all the SOMA chapters and interact with all the Region administrator as I step into my new role as Region V Administrator for the Overdose Prevention Task Force. I am also excited to represent CHSU-COM in the House of Delegates as we get to have a say in what our futures as osteopathic medical students and physicians will look like. The support from the SOMA Foundation and its donors is incredibly generous and will have a lasting impact on my personal journey through osteopathic medicine. Thank you for your generosity and for granting me the opportunity to advance my medical career and explore more of what osteopathic medicine can offer now and in the future."