DO is CMO of DOE, DO advocates for GME in Iowa, nominations open soon for AOA Distinguished Service Awards

The osteopathic medical profession continues to thrive, driven by the dedication of exceptional DOs, osteopathic medical students and organizations making lasting impacts. Below, learn more about just a few of these recent remarkable achievements, including those of Jasper Yung, DO, and Scott Everson, DO. Additionally, read on for more information about the AOA’s Distinguished Service Award, for which the AOA will soon be seeking nominations.

DO appointed chief medical officer of the U.S. Department of Energy

In December, Lt. Col. Scott Everson, DO, MPH, joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the agency’s chief medical officer. A graduate of Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM), Dr. Everson is an AOA board-certified occupational and environmental medicine physician with over two decades of experience providing excellent patient care.

Most recently, he served as the chief of occupational and environmental medicine for both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force, where he served as the primary consultant and subject matter expert to the U.S. Surgeon General on all matters related to occupational and environmental medicine. Dr. Everson retired from the U.S. Air Force in October 2024.

In his new role for the DOE, Dr. Everson will serve as the chief occupational and environmental medicine physician in support of over 50 occupational health facilities, which provide health care for more than 100,000 federal and contract employees for the DOE, in addition to over 60,000 former DOE employees. He is also the vice president and chair of the occupational medicine division of the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine (AOCOPM).

Michigan DO joins hundreds of volunteers to help spread Christmas cheer

On Dec. 7, 2024, Jasper Yung, DO, worked side by side with hundreds of other volunteers to organize and ship over 20,000 Christmas gifts to children in foster care. This charitable event, organized by Operation Good Cheer, was able to grant the Christmas wishes of 6,730 kids and youths throughout Michigan.

Operation Good Cheer’s 2024 efforts saw a record high of 109 social service agencies participating in the event, alongside 190 generous donor groups and individuals. After the gifts were delivered to the Oakland County International Airport by Pentastar Aviation, volunteers sorted and shipped the items to 34 airports across the state. This was Operation Good Cheer’s 54th year of gift-giving and collecting.

Dr. Yung, who has previously been featured in The DO for his work with the Detroit Medical Orchestra, is a senior staff physician at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital. He has been practicing both emergency and internal medicine for over 10 years.

“It was truly a blessing and honor to serve my community during the sometimes-difficult holiday season. Sharing these moments together gives me a feeling of gratitude and purpose,” Dr. Yung said. “Healing comes in many forms, as connections with others grow, especially within the osteopathic medicine culture. The bonds we build strengthen our relationship with our community and help to transform the holistic nature of health care. Giving is truly a sense of growing.”

For more information about Operation Good Cheer and additional resources for abused or at-risk youth in Michigan, please visit the Child and Family Charities website.

Iowa governor proposes new GME initiative

Last month, Iowa governor Kim Reynolds proposed “comprehensive rural health care legislation to continue to promote the health and well-being of all Iowans.” The governor’s office noted that, like many other states across the country, Iowa is suffering from a physician shortage and the rising costs of health care.

Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM) Dean David Connett, DO, corroborated the governor’s statement, and noted that he has observed some large hospitals, with up to 500 beds, only have the number of residents that would ideally be staffed in a 150-bed medical center.

“The [teaching] hospitals are outstanding, but the problem is that the distribution of physicians [is just too low],” Dr. Connett said.

However, as of 2024, Iowa was ranked as the state with the lowest health care costs and fourth best health care system, according to WalletHub. These rankings, along with several other markers, are the foundation upon which Gov. Reynolds seeks to build.

The governor’s proposed initiatives include creating an enhanced Medicaid Graduate Medical Education (GME) payment to secure over $150 million in federal funding, expanding residency opportunities across Iowa’s 14 teaching hospitals. Ultimately, the bill would work to ensure access to quality services in rural and underserved areas of the state.

Dr. Connett said that increasing the number of Iowa medical residents may also help reduce physician burnout and allow hospitals to offer more services. Additionally, he noted that nearly 70% of physicians who attended medical school and completed their residency in the same state will remain in that state.

This expansion would bring an estimated 460 new physicians to train in Iowa, which Gov. Reynolds said would be “a game changer for rural communities and our entire state.”

Nominations for the AOA’s Distinguished Service Award open on Feb. 24

Nominations for the 2025 AOA Distinguished Service Awards will open on Feb. 24. This prestigious award is the AOA’s highest honor. It is presented annually to deserving physicians or lay individuals in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the understanding and advancement of osteopathic medicine through research, education, financial aid or other areas that enable the profession to make a greater contribution to public health.

No more than three Distinguished Service Awards will be given per year. This year’s awards will be presented at the 2025 House of Delegates meeting in July. The nomination period is Feb. 24 to March 28, 2025. To get more information and submit a nomination, please visit the Distinguished Service Award webpage on or after Feb. 24.

Please contact Priya Garg, MBA, chief engagement and diversity officer for the AOA, at [email protected] with any questions.