OOA President Welcomes Class of 2028

Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, the state’s top producer of primary care and rural physicians and the largest medical school in Ohio, held its Convocation & White Coat Ceremony last week.

OOA President Douglas W. Harley, DO, welcomed the Class of 2028 to the profession on behalf of the membership and explained their white coats are a gift to celebrate their journey to becoming osteopathic physicians:

Receiving the white coat is a first milestone in your medical career. It symbolizes your commitment to a lifetime of learning and compassionate care.

The OOA has a long-standing tradition to gift the incoming HCOM students with their first white coat. We are proud that our patch, sewn onto your coat, will accompany you on your journey to becoming a physician. We hope it serves to always remind you that the OOA is here to support you.

We wish you well in your studies and encourage you to wear your white coat with pride, secure in the knowledge that you are now part of a community of DOs who care about you and believe in your potential.

You are the future of osteopathic medicine. We are committed to your success.

More than 4,500 prospective students applied to the college this year for 260 spots in the Heritage College’s Class of 2028. Of those admitted, more than 92% are from Ohio, 32.5% are from groups underrepresented in medicine, and 17.5% are first-generation college students. HCOM has nearly 1,000 students across the college’s three campuses.

During the ceremony, Ronald Moomaw, DO, NASA retired physician and a member of the college’s first class, was awarded the Phillips Medal of Public Service. It is HCOM’s highest honor. Read more about Dr. Moomaw here.

Join TEAM OOA for the AAOA Fun Run

Each year at OMED, the Advocates for the American Osteopathic Association (AAOA) host the AT Still Fit for Life Fun Run, a timed 5K run/walk race with proceeds designated for AAOA’s Special Projects Grant Fund. The live event is Sunday, September 22, in San Antonio, but you can participate on TEAM OOA whether or not you attend OMED.

TEAM OOA members are invited to walk or run at OMED or any time on their own during the September 20-22 weekend.

OOA Past President/AOA Board Trustee Jennifer J. Hauler, DO, serves as honorary chair of the event.

The entry fee is $35. Register here and be sure to select TEAM OOA in the dropdown box. For questions, contact Heidi Weber at hweber@OhioDO.org.

Represent the OOA at a Fundraiser

It’s fundraising season for legislative candidates for the Ohio Statehouse. That means golf outings and receptions—and an opportunity to chat directly and informally with lawmakers involved with health care legislation and policy.

The Ohio Osteopathic Political Action Committee (OOPAC) has already made donations to candidates, which covers the reception ticket price and green/cart fees. Now, we’re looking for DOs who live in these cities who are interested in attending.

At this time, there are receptions scheduled for:

• Fairborn, August 22
• Columbus, September 19

The golf outings are in:

• Dublin, August 22
• Mansfield, August 23
• Circleville, August 27
• Cincinnati, August 29
• Lima, September 23

For details, contact Heidi Weber at hweber@OhioDO.org.

Need CME?

There are dozens of programs available on-demand at The CME Center, a collaborative osteopathic platform to provide high quality online education. Lectures address clinical topics as well as practice management and health care regulation issues. All programs are eligible for AOA Category 1-A credit.

The Ohio offerings include several new sessions from the Ohio Osteopathic Symposium, held in April, including:

Marijuana: What Every Ohio Physician Needs to Know (.75 credit)

Navigating Thyroid Health: Integrative Strategies for Diagnosis and Treatment (1 credit)

Keynote Address from Amy Acton, MD: The Leader We Wish We Had (1 credit)

The Neurobiology of Addiction (1 credit)

OMM Skills Enhancement Course (3 credits)

Oh, Oh, Oh Ozempic (.75 credit)

Members get a discount on all 57 programs produced by the OOA! Use the discount code OOAFamily for 20% off the list price. See the Ohio offerings here.

Support Students: Shelter and Shadow

Medical students often scramble to find and pay for housing while doing rotations away from their home site. It’s a similar situation during residency interviewing season as the costs for transportation, lodging, meals, and applications add up.

The OOA continues to develop a list of physicians who can help these future colleagues and provide a free place to stay. This OOA-assisted housing service simply connects interested medical students with volunteer physician hosts. The program is neither associated with nor coordinated by any college of osteopathic medicine (COM). The transaction is between the student and physician without any guarantees from the OOA or the student’s COM.

In addition, undergraduate students often turn to the OOA looking for DOs to shadow. Many COMs require prospective students to get to know a DO and request a letter of recommendation as part of the application process. Allowing a shadow is a great way to enhance awareness of the osteopathic medical philosophy.

For more information and to sign up for either or both of these programs, see the Volunteer & DO Your Part page on the OOA website.

School-Based Health Center Opens at Ohio High School

The Health Center at Springfield High, which opens just in time for the start of the 2024-2025 school year, will provide a range of services – including both primary care and mental health services – to support the needs of all 7,700 students in the Springfield City School District, as well as their parents and other members of the Springfield community.

Springfield City School District was awarded $1 million in capital funding from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) to help complete the project, which included transforming several former classrooms into clinic space.

The $3 million, 5,000-square-foot facility features four exam rooms to provide primary care, vaccinations, health screenings, as well as three additional rooms for individual and group mental health counseling. There are also plans to add vision and dental services in the future. It will be operated by Rocking Horse Community Health Center, an established health care provider with 25 years of service in Clark County.

Each student in the district’s 17 buildings – from preschool through grade 12 – will have access to the clinic with parental consent. Students will be able to schedule appointments with health care professionals or walk-in if they are feeling unwell. In addition to students, the Health Center will also serve parents, school employees, and all community members across Springfield.

As a Federally Qualified Health Center, the new facility will accept all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Any patient who needs services that are not offered at the Health Center will be referred to outside agencies.

Ohioans Urged to Be Cautious and Responsible if Using Cannabis

With the start of non-medical cannabis sales last week on August 6, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Cannabis Control urges all Ohioans over the age of 21 to be responsible and safe if they make the individual choice to use cannabis products. Given the introduction of non-medical cannabis into the marketplace and the unknown effect these products can have on Ohio adults, the Division encourages consumers to proceed with care and caution to ensure they do not put themselves, as well as others, at risk while consuming.

To ensure the safety and responsible use of cannabis, the Division of Cannabis Control recommends the following:

Consult a Physician: The Division urges individuals new to cannabis to speak with a doctor before using those products.

Don’t Mix: Avoid using cannabis and alcohol at the same time since you may not understand how your body will react to one or both substances when consumed together.

Safe Storage: Always keep cannabis products in child-resistant packaging and store them in a safe or lockbox to prevent access by children and pets.

Don’t Use if Driving or Planning to Drive: Driving under the influence of marijuana is both illegal and dangerous, posing significant risks to everyone on the road. Individuals can be charged with DUI and face the same penalties as those driving under the influence of alcohol.

Don’t Use in Public: The ballot issue passed by voters that took effect in December 2023 states that a non-medical cannabis consumer who uses non-medical cannabis in a public area is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Additionally, Ohio’s law prohibiting smoking or vaping in public indoor spaces applies to smoking marijuana as well.

Use Is Discouraged for Anyone Under 25: According to the CDC, developing brains, such as those in young adults, are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) because the brain continues to develop until the age of 25.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, impaired driving was a factor in 58% of all fatal crashes in 2023, with drug-impaired driving involved in 44% of those fatal crashes. While overall fatal crashes decreased by 3% from 2022 to 2023, drug-impaired driving in fatal crashes increased by 4%. Notably, over one in five impaired driving arrests made by state troopers last year involved drivers impaired by marijuana and/or another drug. In 2023, Ohio state troopers made 3,319 drug-impaired driving arrests, including 739 marijuana-impaired arrests.