Building on History

A.T. Still Memorial Lecture: ‘We are the visionaries now’

AOA Past President Peter B. Ajluni, DO, challenges osteopathic physicians to lead the profession toward greatness.

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Speaking before a packed crowd of delegates and health care leaders gathered in Chicago for the AOA’s Annual Business Meeting, AOA Past President Peter B. Ajluni, DO, delivered this year’s A.T. Still Memorial Lecture on Saturday.

Watch AOA Past President Peter B. Ajluni, DO, deliver the 2015 A.T. Still Memorial Lecture.

Drawing on the historical significance of the unique approach Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO, brought to medicine in the 1800s, Dr. Ajluni described a vision for the future that raises the profile of osteopathic medicine among consumers, policymakers and health care leaders.

“Although A.T. Still used different words, his beliefs as a physician aligned with and promoted the concepts of patient-centered care, preventive care, holistic care and wellness—concepts that during his time were ridiculed,” Dr. Ajluni said. “Well, 120 years later, his concepts are some of the most salient medical issues of the day. His vision challenged the status quo and he saw the unique alignment between the needs of people and what osteopathic medicine offered.”

Looking back on a year filled with remarkable changes for the profession, including movement toward implementation of a single GME accreditation system, Dr. Ajluni stressed that the time is now for DOs to grow as leaders in the U.S. House of Medicine. “Now, more than ever before, we must seek out opportunities to champion our distinctiveness,” he said.

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