The Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) held a patient panel about amyloidosis, a rare disease where abnormal proteins build up in different tissues and organs. The patient panel was an opportunity for medical students to increase their awareness of amyloidosis and hear a patient’s experience living with the rare disease. According to the Amyloidosis Foundation, there are less than 200,000 people in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with amyloidosis.

George Borrelli, D.O., Chair, Clinical Integration, CCOM, welcomed the audience to the patient panel and discussed the importance of the supplemental learning opportunity for the students. “It gives you an opportunity to not only learn about a disease, but to get an account from a patient who has actually gone through the situation.” Dr. Borrelli elaborated, “The earlier this disease is diagnosed, the better the outcomes are. For so many years, this disease has been an enigma, difficult to diagnose, and slipped through many clinicians’ fingers.”

Liz Schwartz, who is living with amyloidosis, visited Midwestern University and shared her experience with the rare disease. Liz is a patient educator with the Amyloidosis Speakers Bureau.

Medical students at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) experienced a unique opportunity to hear firsthand from a patient living with a rare and complex disease. The amyloidosis patient panel gave first- and second-year students the chance to ask questions, gain insights beyond textbooks, and better understand the impact of delayed diagnosis.

We are grateful to Dr. George Borrelli and Paula Kolodziej for inviting us year after year.  The link below is to the full article published by Midwestern University.

https://www.midwestern.edu/news-stories/ccom-hosts-patient-panel-rare-disease-amyloidosis