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Mike Alen is a member of the SWAG��Ƶ College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (SWAG��Ƶ COM) Class of 2025. He is originally from Florida where he completed his undergraduate education and met his wife. They then moved to Philadelphia and often traveled to Maine. 

Mike attended a few summer SWAG��Ƶ COM events and decided to look into becoming a student. The Doctor of Osteopathic (DO) program offered at SWAG��Ƶ COM stood out to Mike over other medical schools because of the research opportunities, the hands-on extended focus on anatomy, and the osteopathic mindset in medicine. In Mike’s words, “I’m a person that likes to be very hands on with everything that I do. The thing that drew me most to osteopathic medicine was osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). I also liked the fundamental approach that they use where it’s not just disease treatment. You get to know the patient as a whole and you get a better idea of who they are as an individual.”

In the past, Mike’s research projects have been focused around chronic pain. His skeletal complications as a child led to frequent trips to his orthopedist. He says, “One of the main points of anxiety was that nobody was telling me why this was happening.” So, Mike’s goal with research is to develop his understanding of chronic pain and find more effective treatment options for his future patients. 

Currently, Mike is working with Dr. Tamara King, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at SWAG��Ƶ College of Osteopathic Medicine, researching temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis pain. It’s difficult to accurately diagnose and treat this chronic pain condition. They’re developing a new method of diagnosing and treating TMJ pain by analyzing saliva samples. By analyzing that data they can look for any disparities between male and female subjects in order to tailor more effective treatment methods. “Pain management is the ultimate goal here. Figuring out the best and safest way to alleviate that pain and manage the inflammation.”

This project has already been a huge learning experience. He’s learned how important it is to be ready for adaptation when one method isn’t working how he’d expected. Mike was also surprised by how much planning and coordinating goes into working on a project like this. However, he credits Dr. Tamara King for her guidance along the way. “I’ve learned so much just from watching her interact with other colleagues and students. Research really is a collaborative field by nature and I think a lot of people don't realize that.” Mike learned that the foresight provided by planning ahead is a treasure at SWAG��Ƶ COM that isn’t often found elsewhere. 

As for his plans after graduation, Mike is considering going into pediatric orthopedics. He has some clinical experience in an orthopedic office, but most of his background is research based. However, he also found a passion for working with interventional radiology imaging at SWAG��Ƶ COM last year. 

Student research like this wouldn’t be possible without generous help from donors. Mike has noticed that the funding SWAG��Ƶ research programs receive allows students to have the most opportunity to reach their full potential. “Donors who give to academic research are very important. They’re not only progressing our knowledge but progressing humanity. So, I commend those who are able to help.”