3 osteopathic organizations win 2021 Outstanding Affiliate Awards

The AOA recently selected the Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA), the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), and the American Osteopathic College of Radiology (AOCR) as the inaugural recipients of the Outstanding Affiliate Award.

The Outstanding Affiliate Awards recognize state and specialty college affiliates that demonstrate innovation, creativity, resourcefulness and flexibility; highlight outstanding affiliate performance; recognize affiliate contributions that advance the osteopathic profession; and celebrate and share noteworthy programs and initiatives with all affiliates to encourage best practices. The awards will be presented virtually during OMED 2021.

The recent achievements of this year’s recipients are highlighted below.

Michigan Osteopathic Association

• The new online MOA Learning Center houses on-demand CME from prior live sessions that can be accessed at any time.
• The Women’s Leadership Institute, created over the last year by the Women of Excellence Committee, includes a series of lectures to help female members develop leadership skills to enhance their careers further while keeping in mind the unique challenges women in medicine face.
• A recent COVID-19 update webinar featured Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Joneigh S. Khaldun, MD, chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
• The MOA Council of Interns and Residents (CIR) provides a network of support for residents across the state on physician wellness, contract negotiation, and advocacy. Over the past year, CIR has met virtually and started a monthly Speaker Series. The speakers join in on virtual meetings that are recorded and posted for those whose shifts prevented them from attending.

American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians

• CATALYST for CORTEx (the Clinical Osteopathic Recognition Training Exam) is a formative stand-alone OPP/OMM exam that will fulfill the Osteopathic Recognition ACGME requirement. This assessment was successfully delivered on NBOME’s new CATALYST platform, which provides test questions and stores their answers.
• The DO.fm podcast channel debuted in fall 2020 to reach members and provide additional opportunities for engagement.
• The #FaceoftheFamily photo campaign was introduced last December to engage members, highlight diversity in the profession, and demonstrate ACOFP’s relevancy for everyone. The campaign was launched first with students, then residents, and finally, practicing physicians.
• Development of the Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the inaugural DEI Award, which recognizes osteopathic family physicians who make significant contributions toward enhancing DEI within osteopathic family medicine education and practice.

American Osteopathic College of Radiology

• AOCR Membership Model Task Force was formed to evaluate how to represent value to the member better. After several studies and financial reviews, the Board approved a proposal that would include CME that is not on-location and provide a deeper discount for on-location meetings. This was implemented for the 2021-22 membership year as the Member Plus option.
• Currently, 25% of those who have renewed their membership have chosen the Member Plus option, and the renewal rate is now 32% higher year to date compared to 2020.
• AOCR Connect is a community connection platform that allows members to easily connect with one another.
• Revised criteria to become a Fellow of the AOCR by allowing an alternate pathway focusing on service directly to the AOCR. The two paths to becoming an AOCR Fellow have resulted in a 400% increase in applications this past year.
• Renewed partnership with the AOA at OMED21 for the first time since 2010.