As the founding dean of the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic
Medicine in Pikeville, Kentucky, I hold osteopathic medical students close to
my heart. In fact, I consider my students to be like my children and the osteopathic
profession to be a second family.
As some of you are beginning your first year of osteopathic
medical school and others are returning to conquer another year of intense training,
I want you each to remember these things:
Learning the art and practice of osteopathic medicine is
an honor and a privilege.
These next few years will be the most challenging and exciting
times of your lives, but well worth it.
Always do your best because your patients deserve it.
Remember the great DOs who made this opportunity possible
for you.
You are the future of this proud profession.
To help you accomplish these things and to help you make the
most of your osteopathic medical education, I’ve challenged the entire
profession to go “back to the basics” to ensure that you receive
the best possible training and truly learn the osteopathic practices and principles
that make us unique. Your primary job as a student is to learn as much about
your chosen profession as possible and to embrace your distinctiveness.
You are the future and hope of our profession. We’re
depending on you to continue on the proud legacy of osteopathic medical care
set by those in past generations. And as your professional family, the AOA wants
you to depend on us and never to hesitate to turn to us when you have any questions
or concerns.
This newsletter is just one way for you to learn about what’s
going on in your osteopathic family and to have your voice heard. Another way
to get in touch with me personally is through my presidential
blog that was launched on August 7. This blog is an open discussion forum
for the 12,000+ osteopathic medical students and our 59,000 DOs.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you through
my blog and hope to have the opportunity to visit each of your campuses this
year.
Sincerely, John A. Strosnider, DO
2006-2007 AOA President
President's
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