The TOUCH Program

Translating Osteopathic Understanding into Community Health

What is it?

The TOUCH program is a COSGP initiative that encourages osteopathic medical students across the country to become more involved in active community service.

The program is intended to reach beyond our campus to the greater community. Services do not have to be medically related. 

Students are recognized for their time spent improving the health and wellness of the community

Is my event TOUCH eligible?

  1. The event should directly work to improve the health and wellness of a local or global community
  2. The event must be outside of medical school coursework

Services will not count if they are: compensated, self-serving, directly benefiting medical students or the school.

Court-mandated community service does not count towards TOUCH hours.

Contact us with questions!

How to log hours:

  1. Ensure your service hours meet TOUCH requirements for community involvement
  2. Submit hours in Track it Forward within one week of your service date
Click Here to go to Track it Forward

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Gandhi

TOUCH Hour Examples

Habitat for Humanity

Participating on Volunteer Rescue Squad

Hosting event that is fundraising for a community organization (i.e. chili cook off)

Blood Drives

Big Brother/Big Sister Program

Shot clinics open to the public

Soup Kitchen/Food Pantry

Mission Trips

Running a prevention clinic

Online Tutoring

Local Trash Collection

Any event that benefits the community outside of TouroCOM

and more...

Awards

Awards are given at the end of the school year (May) and include a certificate from the national Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP) office. A letter of recommendation will also be sent from the President of AACOM to the TouroCOM dean on your behalf, suggesting the Dean's inclusion of your commitment to service in your MSPE. Your service will set you apart from other residency applicants. 

Participation Silver Award Gold Award  Platinum Award (includes all class years)
 1-49.9 Hours50-99.9 Hours 100+ Hours Student with highest number of hours 

Fundraising

Fundraising can count if there is an event held to raise money or supplies for a community organization. Ex. Bake sale for Breast Cancer Awareness, cook off, etc.

Only volunteering for the event or baking goods qualifies for TOUCH. Buying goods/donating at the event or prior to the event does not qualify for TOUCH. For fitness events, only volunteering for the event qualifies. Participation does not qualify for TOUCH (i.e. running in a 5K/10K for charity).

The event can involve the community or be only for TouroCOM as long as the items raised do not go towards TouroCOM or its organization. The items/money raised must support an outside organization-- only then can fundraising hours count. 

If you only collect money for a philanthripic cause with no associated event, it will not count towards TOUCH hours. 

Donation Drives

Donation minimum for one TOUCH hour is set as a value of $5 by the SGA Parliamentarian. 

Donations are not monetary.

Donations are collected to benefit the community, not TouroCOM. 

The maximum number of TOUCH hours a student can claim per donation drive is 2 TOUCH hours regardless of how many things are donated. Students may only collect a total of 10 TOUCH hours per cycle year for donation drives (including blood drives).

Volunteers and coordinators can log as many hours as it takes to moderate or run the event. Planning hours will be at the rate of 1 planning hour = 0.5 TOUCH hours.

Students may donate as many or as few things as possible to meet the minimum criteria.