3 osteopathic organizations win 2025 Outstanding Affiliate Awards

The AOA’s Outstanding Affiliate Award recognizes osteopathic state and specialty college affiliates that demonstrate innovation, creativity, resourcefulness and flexibility; highlights outstanding affiliate performance; recognizes affiliate contributions that advance the osteopathic profession; and celebrates and shares noteworthy programs and initiatives with all affiliates to encourage best practices.

This year’s award recipients include the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists (AOCA), the American Osteopathic College of Radiology (AOCR) and the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS).

AOA President Robert G.G. Piccinini, DO, D.FACN, will bestow these esteemed awards upon AOCA, AOCR and MAOPS during the awards ceremony held in-person during OMED25 on Saturday, Sept. 27.

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

American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists (AOCA)

• Delivered robust educational programs that included their 2024 Annual Convention and Conclave, 2025 Mid-Year Seminar and the Second Sundays: Excellence in Clinical Care webinar series. The conference evaluation from the 2024 Annual Convention and Conclave received a 98% satisfaction rate in identifying and implementing evidence-based medicine, with a 99% agreement on the program’s effectiveness. The Second Sundays: Excellence in Clinical Care webinar series was created to provide a collaborative environment with CME-approved education on a selected topic with a subject matter expert. The live webinar takes place on the second Sunday of the month and AOCA members are provided access to the on-demand education center.
• Created opportunities to strengthen member value and retention through event discounts, peer networking and exclusive partnerships. Members were recruited through outreach to osteopathic medical schools, residency programs and conference engagement. Membership recruitment rates were strong at 89%. A Job Board was developed exclusively for members to both view and post jobs at no cost to enhance career advancement opportunities within the osteopathic anesthesiology field.
• Fostered an organizational culture that supports the osteopathic principles of equality and inclusion and prioritized inclusivity in membership, leadership and education. AOCA’s Professional Education Committee ensures diversity in speaker selection and program content, covering topics such as gender-affirming perioperative care and challenges in rural anesthesia.
• Legacy Committee committed to honoring and preserving rich history and traditions of osteopathic medicine and osteopathic anesthesiology through research and documentation, ensuring that the milestones, achievements and influential figures remain recognized for generations to come. The AOCA Copper Kettle Society Fund pays tribute to individuals and families who have supported over a century of excellence in the science of anesthesiology. The funds ensure the continued advancement of resident training and educational programs.
• Future of the Field Committee engages and supports residents and osteopathic medical students by facilitating mentorship, creating pathways for successful matches into anesthesiology residencies and developing an AOCA ambassador program that connects members with college of osteopathic medicine anesthesiology interest groups. AOCA prioritizes trainee leadership by reserving board positions for students and residents, ensuring their voices influence programing and services while providing them with leadership and professional development opportunities. Engagement continues to grow, with 24 students and residents actively serving on committees.

American Osteopathic College of Radiology (AOCR)

• Increased student outreach and engagement by creating virtual mentoring forums, a mentoring session and a new physician shadow opportunity at their 2024 annual convention. The student and resident virtual mentoring forums resulted in an 18% increase in membership in the first six months of the program. There was also a 55% increase in student/resident attendance at their 2024 annual convention due to an increased focus on incorporating unique opportunities to engage students and residents.
• Leadership Identification Committee identifies individuals with the skills and interest to advance within the AOCR. These members are invited to serve on the Board of Directors. A board member was sponsored to attend the AOA Leadership Academy, and the Board will continue to sponsor one board member to attend the AOA Leadership Academy each year. AOCR’s leadership development and succession planning are multifaceted. Systematic identification of members with leadership potential allows the organization to build a strong succession plan, ensuring smooth transitions and continued organizational growth.
• Created an email member recruitment campaign for DO residents by building a list of DO residents that required searching every radiology residency training program website and creating an algorithm to identify email contact addresses. The campaign was successful and resulted in receiving new resident member applications.
• Made an impact at the community level by providing two members impacted by California wildfires an AOCR member dues waiver for 2025.
• Implemented a targeted marketing and communications plan with an increased presence on social media, a member spotlight, website pop-ups and a new mobile app. Improved targeted marketing resulted in a 55% increase in usage of AOCR’s on-demand CME. Increased postings on social media resulted in a 26% increase in followers.

Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS)

• Accredited and co-produced the Virtual Osteopathic Conference, which attracted nearly 800 attendees for the 2024 conference from almost every state in the country. The program had a 98% attendee satisfaction rate each of the four years it has been offered. The program is offered to other state osteopathic associations, and eight affiliate partners are currently working together to create and market the conference. The Missouri State Medical Association is also a partner. This partnership relationship allows each partner to promote and offer a 48-credit conference to their members. The partnership saves each partner tens of thousands of dollars and significant time annually while generating significant net revenue for each.
• MAOPS Wetzel Scholar Program emphasizes the development of leaders in the osteopathic profession in Missouri. There have been 70 total graduating scholars since the program’s inception in 1998. These scholars have served as trustees, committee members and presidents of MAOPS. Wetzel scholars, with an advisor, develop a program of their choosing and complete requirements during the year. A scholar developed and produced a 10-part podcast series titled YPN Guide to DOing Medical School to assist students in navigating medical school. The podcast was promoted nationwide to other osteopathic associations and COMs.
• Established the Young Physicians Network (YPN) for under-40 physicians and medical students to increase young physician membership and engagement in the organization. Under-40 physicians were offered half-price dues and significant discounts to association activities. The YPN hosted family-friendly socials around the state throughout the year, created an awards program, developed criteria and a logo for events and programs, and developed an internal policy to ensure YPN representation on the Board of Trustees and the MAOPS delegation at the AOA House of Delegates. The establishment of the YPN and MAOPS’s 2025 membership campaign has contributed to an increase in young physician membership and higher retention rates.
• Missouri Physician Advocacy Day was co-hosted with the Missouri State Medical Association. Over 100 physicians and medical students attended the event, and almost 60% of the participants were MAOPS members. This accomplishment reflected not only MAOPS’s ability to recruit physicians to attend but also the passion MAOPS members have for advocacy efforts.
• MAOPS partnership with Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) is a program where MAOPS assists SOMO in recruiting physicians for health screenings at SOMO events around the state. MAOPS hosted a day at their annual convention called Community Care Celebration where over 150 SOMO athletes received screenings and care from physician attendees. Physician education sessions were also held to educate physicians on this underserved patient population. Athletes and parents were provided with information about osteopathic medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine during the event. MAOPS has also assisted SOMO in establishing relationships with local dental schools.

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