Osteopathic medicine in the news: July 14, 2021

Placing DOs in top-tier news stories and broadcast interviews has long been an AOA priority. Expert physician sources weigh in on the news of the day, as well as contribute research and perspective.

If you are interested in being featured as an expert physician source in content produced by respected news outlets, please email [email protected]. Where possible, we will try to match your expertise with the needs of the media.

The following is a sampling of recent articles that feature DOs or osteopathic medicine. The AOA helped place DOs in some of these articles; others solicited a DO source without the AOA’s involvement. Additional news stories that feature DOs or osteopathic medicine are available here.

The New York Times: This story profiles pediatric resident Alexandra Friedman, DO, who, as a Hasidic mother of 10, is one of the few Hasidic female physicians in the U.S.

During medical school, Dr. Friedman assumed a much-needed role advising her Hasidic female acquaintances on medical issues including menstruation, infertility and gynecological treatment.

“People became excited to have a woman who understands the community and understands medicine,” Dr. Friedman said.

The Wall Street Journal: Jonathan Finnoff, DO, the chief medical officer of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, is profiled in an article (subscription required) that covers the COVID safety protocols that Dr. Finnoff developed for Olympic athletes and event organizers. A summary of the article is available for free in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

ABC News: A piece on cancer and gender identity features Danielle Weitzer, DO, a psychiatrist at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

“More national attention can be called toward transgender issues to establish its importance in the medical community,” Dr. Weitzer said.

NPR: An article about the increased incidence of flesh-eating parasites—and the disease they cause—in the U.S. quotes dermatologist Bridget McIlwee, DO.

“It’s a pretty striking difference for a disease that we used to think of as limited to South America now extending as far north as Canada,” Dr. McIlwee said, “potentially within the next several decades.”

Medical Economics: This Q&A with Naresh Rao, DO, the team physician for the U.S. men’s water polo team, covers the ins and outs of working with athletes as a physician at the Olympics.

“The ability to focus on that team and create an atmosphere where our athletes and our staff will be comfortable is important,” Dr. Rao said. “So the daily duties are for me to be primarily be there for men’s water polo for Tokyo, as opposed to in Rio, where I was the medical doctor for both the women’s and the men’s teams.”