AOA recognizes achievements toward building a culture of excellence

The AOA recognized prominent contributions made towards advancing the osteopathic medical profession during the House of Delegates meeting. The following supporters were honored at an awards luncheon held Saturday.

AOA Presidential Citations

Awarded by 2014-15 AOA President Robert S. Juhasz, DO, these citations recognize supporters for their devotion to the osteopathic medical profession.

• Daniel F. Dickriede, DO, an osteopathic emergency physician, for his work on international medical missions providing care for those where the medical need is among the greatest in the world.
• Jon F. Wills, the executive director of the Ohio Osteopathic Association, for his commitment to advocating on behalf of the osteopathic medical profession in Ohio and his dedication to improving the quality of health for all Ohio residents.
• James E. Swartwout, the AOA senior vice president of education and accreditation, for his contributions to the Joint AOA/ACGME/AACOM Operations Committee, which oversees the historic establishment of single GME accreditation.

STAR awards

The Strategic Team Award and Recognition, known as “STAR,” recognizes contributions made by state and specialty affiliates, osteopathic medical schools and non-practice affiliates in enhancing the osteopathic medicine culture.

• Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine in Blues Creek, North Carolina.
• American College of Osteopathic Surgeons.
• Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
• National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Inc.

Award for Excellence in Health Journalism

This award recognizes journalists who are dedicated to helping Americans better understand their health and the delivery of health care; who cover timely health topics; and who interpret medical information in a manner that is understandable to the lay public.

• Kimberly Leonard, health care reporter at U.S. News & World Report.

George W. Northup, DO, Medical Writing award

The Northup Award, bestowed annually to the best article published in the JAOA the previous year, recognizes contributions to the JAOA that have the potential to change the way DOs think, practice medicine and conduct research. The 2015 award recognizes the article “Preliminary Findings on the Use of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: Outcomes During the Formation of the Practice-Based Research Network, DO-Touch.NET,” which appeared in the March 2014 issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA).

Conducted by Brian F. Degenhardt, DO; Jane C. Johnson, MA; Shanin R. Gross, DO; Celia Hagan, BSN; Gregg Lund, DO; and William J. Curry, MD, MS; the study provides a current evaluation of the use of OMT and patient-reported outcomes.