by: William Swallow, DO

It is hard to believe that Summer is winding down. Hopefully, most of you have taken the opportunity to enjoy some time away from your practices and spend some quality time with family. Since returning from the AOA House of Delegates meeting, I had the opportunity to address the PCOM DO Class of 2028 at their stethoscope ceremony. I spoke to the class virtually due to a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning in eastern Pennsylvania that day. But the weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of the students! This event culminated three days of first year student orientation at the college. The stethoscopes that each student received was proudly presented by the POMA Foundation.

Earlier this month, the POMA Board of Trustees met in Hershey. Our committees are working hard to implement initiatives within the strategic plan. The districts are scheduling events including family get-togethers, socials and product theaters. Check your email and social media for announcements of these events. OMED is next month in San Antonio, Texas - it's not too late to register. And, it is not too early to mark your calendars for the POMA District 8 Winter Conference in January and POMA's 117th Annual Clinical Assembly in May. District 8 registration is open! Clinical Assembly registration will open in the not-too-distant future.

Coming up for the POMA leadership are the white coat ceremonies at the four Osteopathic medical schools, LECOM, LECOM Seton Hill, Duquesne, and PCOM. This year, the leadership is dividing and conquering our attendance to these events. We are so excited to welcome the Class of 2028 into the osteopathic profession!

I hope you enjoy the remaining days of summer. Plan to attend the next district event. Invite a colleague to attend with you. Please support the POMA Foundation and POMPAC. Remember, POMA IS the Spirit of Osteopathic Medicine.

by: Andy Sandusky

How long have I been doing this job? I am halfway through my second month as your Chief Executive Officer, but I must admit it feels like I have been here a lot longer! Likely because POMA and the POMA Foundation have accomplished so much in a small amount of time.

The POMA Board of Trustees (POMA Board) met on August 3 to conduct business in Hershey, PA. The POMA Board was first updated on the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) from their President and CEO, and Pennsylvania’s own John Gimpel, DO. Dr. Gimpel provided the POMA Board with updates on future skills assessments measures, DO residency matching (and a deep dive into the favorable statistics) and the NBOME advocacy efforts being conducted for Osteopathic physicians, program director’s and education. This was followed by robust conversation on the issues on the importance of the POMA Finance Committee and changes to the POMA travel policy.

The POMA Foundation Board of Directors also met August 3 and discussed ways to further communicate the programs offered, and great work being done in Pennsylvania communities by funding granted by the Foundation. Additionally, the Foundation is considering the potential of holding a public health forum meeting in 2025.

It is also important to note that the POMA Foundation has opened the grant application window for its next round of Osteopathic Medicine Community Enhancing Grant funding! In the past few years, the POMA Foundation has granted over $323,000 through this program and helped support the following organizations:

• D.O. More United
• American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) Foundation
• Penns Rock Restore Incorporated
• Camelot for Children
• The Food Dignity Project
• Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society (Physicians Health Program)
• Jefferson Health Northeast
• Lake Erie Sports Alliance
• Saint Joseph's University

There are so many great things going on for Osteopathic physicians and students, that I could write a novel! But we will leave off here until next time. Thank you for the honor of being your CEO.

POMA Board of Trustees Updates

The POMA Board of Trustees came together twice this month to address business of the association. They kicked off the month with its quarterly meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The board received written and oral reports from all of its committees and many supporting groups and organizations, and took action to approve policies and several life memberships. Strategic updates were provided by the officers, with several new initiatives being launched this fall, including the digital Journal, a DIO focus group and wellness activities. POMA President William Swallow, DO also created two new task forces: Task Force on Secondary and Undergraduate Osteopathic Education and Task Force on Student Financial Support.

The board also received a presentation from Pamela Goldman, DO, POMA Foundation Chair, on recent activities and the Osteopathic Community Enhancing Grant program. John Gimpel, DO, President of the NBOME, presented on advocacy efforts to support COMLEX acceptance and shared updates on the 2024 DO match results and the core competency capstone project.

The board met again on August 14th to discuss a resolution regarding the Sketchy scholarship. The Finance Committee recommended approving the resolution, and the Board passed the resolution.

The board will meet again in November at the POMA Central Office.

The Publications Committee is relaunching the Journal of the POMA in a completely digital format!  Three issues will be produced annually, with the first launching in October 2024.

We are looking for contributions in the following areas:

• Research (posters, articles, etc.)
• Business of Medicine (how to start a practice, how to retire, anything for independent practice, contracts, etc.)
• Academia (students, residents, deans, program directors, faculty)
• Creative writing (poetry, short stories, blog-style pieces)
• Advocacy

The committee wants the JPOMA to be a safe space for all DOs to have a voice and be heard.  Opportunities are open to all osteopathic medical students, residents, and attending physician members!

Share your thoughts, ideas and submissions via email to [email protected].  Submissions for the Fall 2024 issue are due now.  Future deadlines are December 15th and April 15th.  We can't wait to hear from you!

Since the single GME accreditation system was fully implemented, POMA has made it a central goal to maintain and promote osteopathic principles in all of Pennsylvania’s residency programs. Osteopathic graduates are entering residencies that may not understand or promote the principles of their educational background, and POMA is their beacon to support them, their training, and their future.

POMA and the POMA Foundation are committed to making a difference in the lives of DOs every day. They have provided wellness grants, scholarships, leadership and mentor opportunities, and avenues to publish scholarly activity. Last year, 47 portable OMT tables were gifted to osteopathically recognized residency programs to ensure DOs can maintain their osteopathic skills and help the programs maintain their osteopathic recognition standing. This year, POMA is developing a DOE focus group to identify ways that we can better support OR programs, their faculty and osteopathic residents.

POMA is proud to support osteopathic residents and their programs across the Commonwealth. And, we appreciate the programs that value the benefits of POMA membership and support their residents by paying for their annual POMA resident dues. We'd like to acknowledge and thank the following programs:

• PCOM - Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery, Surgery, Transitional Year
• Reading Hospital/Tower Health - Internal Medicine
• St. Luke's Health Network - Family Medicine
• UPMC Altoona - Family Medicine
• Washington Health System - Family Medicine

It's never too late to join and take advantage of all that POMA offers our postgraduate community. If you have questions about individual or bulk payments, please email [email protected].

Sincerely,
David Kuo, DO
Chair, Committee on Postgraduate Outreach and Engagement

We're a quarter of the way through the fourth annual POMA District Competition! As we trudged through the dog days of summer, the standings haven't changed. But with cooler temperatures on the horizon, the competition will be heating up again. 

Current Standings as of August 14th:
    1^st Place - District 4
    2^nd Place - District 14
    3^rd Place Tie - District 8 and District 12

Help your District climb to the top of the leaderboard by getting involved!  Districts receive points for holding qualifying events, recruiting and retaining POMA members, community involvement, participating in surveys, getting original pieces published (POMA and external); and more.  Contact your district leadership to learn more!

The POMA Foundation is now accepting applications for the Osteopathic Medicine Community Enhancing Grant program. This grant seeks to support projects that make a lasting impacts in the community, address a pressing need, or presents a unique approach to an ongoing challenge. Grant activities will benefit patients, osteopathic physicians, and their communities. The RFP is linked here.

The POMA Foundation is excited to engage directly with those supporting the osteopathic profession, its principles and its practices to support projects that impact the community.

Additional details about the grant, eligibility, application instructions, and contact information for questions is included in the RFP. Don't wait to apply— applications are due Monday, September 9, 2024.

View the
newsletter online!

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. POMA Board of Trustees Updates
4. Call for Journal Submissions
5. Community Collaborative
6. District Competition
7. POMA Foundation Opens Osteopathic Community Enhancing Grant Program
8. Upcoming District Events
9. Help Us Spread the News - POMA is Here for You!
10. Welcome New Members
11. Military Appreciation
12. Classified Ads
13. Check Out the POMA DOes... Podcast
14. Contribute to POMPAC! 

Welcome New Members!

The following physicians have applied for membership in the POMA. According to Article VI, Section 2 of the POMA bylaws, if no written objection is received within 30 days after publication, the following will be accepted for membership.

Nicole Baumgartner-Fernandez, DO
104 Teaberry Court
Reading, PA 19608
Active Member – District 11

Mariah D. Chambers, DO
10800 Knights Road
Philadelphia, PA 19114
Active Member – District 1

Nicholas J. Gorski, DO
2370 Old Turnpike Road
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Active Member – District 6

Paul W. Heberle, DO
18344 Irish Road
Edinboro, PA 16412
Active Member – District 7

Tina K. Joseph, DO
Jefferson Einstein Hospital
5501 Old York Road
Philadelphia, PA 19141
Active Member – District 1

Nathaniel S. Ohlinger, DO
102 Golf Circle
Bernville, PA 19506
Active Member – District 11

Judith M. Stranko, DO
4986 Farmington Road
Harrisburg, PA 17112
Active Member – District 5

POMA wants to support and honor our military members!

Whether you are active duty, reservist or retired; Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marines or Coast Guard; POMA wants to hear from you! Click here to share your military history with us or email [email protected]. 

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

PRN Medical Space — Ready exam rooms for Drs on the go! Five locations in Philadelphia and Bristol. Call 215-669-4001 or visit prnmedical.space.

PRACTICES WANTED —
Retiring physicians, part-time or full-time practices, call 215-669-4001.

CLASSIFIED AD
RATES
— Per insertion —

Member Ads*: $10 for the first 20 words, $.25 for each additional word. $2 each for special services: all caps or all bold type.

Non-member Ads: (Payment must be received in advance.) $50 for the first 20 words, .50 each additional word. $5 for each special service (listed above).

*Please Note: Member ad rate to be used only by POMA members and only for their medicine- or practice-related ads. Charges for other types of members’ ads will be calculated using the non-member ad rate.

POMA does not take a position of endorsing any organizations, individuals or services whose classified advertisements appear in this publication. The POMA Newsletter reserves the right to select and edit all advertisements submitted.

POMA DOes...Podcast

Have you tuned into the POMA DOes... podcast series? You can catch them on YouTube and everywhere you listen to podcasts. August features an episode focusing on "Finding Your Community in Medical School." Be sure to share this resource with the students you know!

Have an episode idea? Let us know! New episodes for POMA DOes... are released on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

POMPAC is the collective
voice of the osteopathic profession in Pennsylvania.

Send your personal check to POMPAC c/o POMA, 1330 Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg, PA 17111, or charge your contribution to your credit card!

PAC contributions are not tax-deductible.

Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association | 1330 Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg, PA 17111
www.poma.org | [email protected] | (717) 939-9318