by: William Swallow, DO

Greetings! It is here. The holiday season is here. For me, this is the biggest season of the year. From the shopping, to the gatherings, to cooking special recipes (yes, Liz and I make three to four pounds of peanut brittle), to the baking, we begin the season right after Thanksgiving and continue right up to the Christmas Eve service. We hope that each and every one of you are able to enjoy this most joyous of times respective of your faith and culture.

News flash! The big story on Action News originates from the POMA Executive Committee that met earlier this week. At that meeting, I presented a new member program to the committee, which was met with unanimous support. If a current member in good standing enlists a new physician member of POMA, he or she will qualify for a 10% discount of their registration fee for the 2025 POMA Clinical Assembly. And, the new POMA member will also qualify for a 10% discount of their registration fee for the Clinical Assembly. Consider inviting your friends, colleagues and potential new members to your next District meeting or social event. With new members, POMA can do so much more for the Osteopathic profession in Pennsylvania and for the patients that we care for. If you have any questions concerning this program, please email the POMA Central Office, [email protected].

Please also consider registering for the POMA District 8 Winter Conference in January at Seven Springs and the POMA Clinical Assembly in May at Kalahari Resort, both of which have opportunities for virtual participation! Also, the ACOFP Annual Meeting will be held in Palm Springs in 2025. Also, during this season of giving, please support the POMA Foundation and POMPAC. Make December the month for supporting POMA.

Liz and I wish for all of you a joyous and peaceful holiday season and a prosperous new year. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanza! May God bless you all.

by: Andy Sandusky

All is Calm, All is Bright

As we embark on the holiday season in earnest, all is indeed calm and especially bright at POMA. But that calm disguises the hard (but fun) work that lies ahead in 2025. And I for one, am excited!

In January, the District VIII 38th Annual Educational Winter Seminar will be in full effect at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. This event is incredibly important to the organization as they provide opportunities for fellowship and for POMA to demonstrate its gold standard of Osteopathic educational offerings in the state.

Other POMA districts are working now to schedule district meetings for the New Year. The district meetings will combine social and/or educational offerings while also selecting their district leaders and district representatives to the POMA House of Delegates in May, and representatives that will participate in the AOA House of Delegates in July. Please consider attending these important and fun district outing.

May will be here before we know it and we'll be traveling to Kalahari! And while May flowers are blossoming, POMA will be hard at work preparing for its Annual Clinical Assembly, and once again combining this educational offering with the deliberations of the ultimate policy making body of the organization, the POMA House of Delegates. There will be at least two new POMA trustees elected to the board, which will include our student and resident physician representatives. Please consider getting more involved!

In between those hallmark meetings, POMA will be working towards efficiency and greater transparency in the operations and programs delivered by POMA. Change is not easy, but it does mean growth. POMA is blessed to have an incredible staff that I know are up to the challenges ahead.

As we close out 2024, please take the opportunity to spend some quality time with your family and friends, pray for the ones that we’ve lost, and equally for those who are new to this world or those turning into young men and women. Come January, POMA's lights will be bright, and the calmness traded for diligent hard work and production for the benefit of POMA members. I wish you all a safe and healthy holiday season and will talk to you in 2025!

by: Tyler Burke

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is currently in recess for the Holidays and will return on January 7th for swearing in and then are expected to resume regular business the week of January 27th.

At POMA, we are quickly preparing for the next session! Part of that work includes highlighting information that features what our members are seeing on the frontlines and why our advocacy is so important! Over the past year, Bloomberg has run a 3-part story about the miseducation of CRNPs and the effects they have on the delivery of healthcare. While we don't necessarily endorse all that is said in the articles, we offer them here for your review and consideration.

• The Miseducation of America’s Nurse Practitioners
  By Caleb Melby, Polly Mosendz, and Noah Buhayar
  They don’t merely support doctors – NPs increasingly treat patients independently, including in specialty practices and emergency rooms. When they aren’t well trained, the results can be tragic.
  

• What Happens When US Hospitals Go Big on Nurse Practitioners
  By Caleb Melby and Noah Buhayar
  Faster to train and cheaper to employ than doctors, NPs help American health-care companies’ bottom line – but can risk patient safety.

• Desperate Nursing Students Turn to Fixers for Their Clinical Training
  By Caleb Melby
  Would-be nurse practitioners eager for better preparation have found help in a new cottage industry that shows how a broken system can be fixed.

Be sure to read next month’s Under the DOme and POMA Newsletter for more information on the upcoming legislative session!

This is the perfect time of year to reflect on the past and look to the future!  Submit your entries by January 15th for the next issue of the JPOMA which is themed "The Past, Present and Future of POMA". The committee is looking for contributions in the following areas:

• Research (posters, articles, etc.)
• Medical Vignettes (100 word description of your journey in osteopathic medicine and what still resonates with you)
• Business of Medicine (share your experience on starting a practice, building and marketing your practice, choosing or changing your specialty, retirement planning, or life after retirement)
• Academia (students, residents, deans, program directors, faculty)
• Creative Writing (art, poetry, short stories, blog-style pieces, music)
• Advocacy (articles related to supporting the well-being, safety and best interest of Pennsylvania's osteopathic physicians and their patients and communities)

The JPOMA is a safe space for all DOs to have a voice and be heard. Publishing opportunities are open to all osteopathic medical students, residents, and physicians!

Share your thoughts, ideas and submissions via email to [email protected].  Upcoming submission deadlines are January 15th and April 30th.  We can't wait to hear from you!

Take care of yourself by relaxing the body, mind and spirit and join us at POMA's Virtual Yoga event on Sunday, January 12th at 1:00 pm.  The POMA Physician Wellness Committee has organized this event just for you!

The low impact, gentle flow yoga session will be led by certified yoga instructor and committee member Bailey Reale, OMS-IV. This live event is offered for free to all POMA members and their families.

Spots are limited so RSVP today!

Welcome Resident Members!

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:

• Abington Jefferson - Family Medicine
• Geisinger Health System - Internal Medicine
• Millcreek Community Hospital - Family Medicine, Transitional Year

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].

Join us for POMA's First Winter Residency Fair! We are bringing together residency programs from across the state into one place for students to network and learn more about residency and training opportunities! Join us on Saturday, January 25 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. This event is held in conjunction with the POMA District VIII 38th Annual Educational Winter Seminar. Click here to learn more and register today!

All Pennsylvania medical students and residents training in Pennsylvania are invited to submit their research into the 2025 POMA Clinical Assembly Digital Poster Session!

Abstracts must be emailed to [email protected] no later than February 15, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed in February and first authors will be informed of the decision to present no later than March 10, 2025. Posters will be shared at the POMA Clinical Assembly, May 7-10, 2025 and made available for viewing on the POMA website beginning in May 2025. 

Click here to learn more.

It may be cold outside, but the district competition is heating up! The POMA calendar is full of exciting social and CME events in your area. Don’t miss out – join in the fun!

Current Standings as of December 18th:
    1^st Place - District 7
    2^nd Place - District 4
    3^rd Place - District 12
    4^th Place - District 14

Make 2025 the year to get involved with POMA!  Earning points is easy - write for the JPOMA, participate in surveys, recruit your colleagues to join POMA, get involved in your community.  Talk to your local district leadership and share your ideas on how you can DO more with POMA!

District Dish

District 7

It was hockey night in Erie! District 7 closed out November with the Erie Otters as they defeated the S.S. Marie Greyhounds. Thanks to the generosity of LECOM, a wonderful group of physicians, residents, students and family members experienced the game VIP style with exclusive suite access! To top things off, District 7 attendees continued to DO good by donating eight bags full of winter coats, gloves, and hats, which will be distributed to support neighbors in need! A special thanks to everyone who attended and to Sarah Breon, DO, District 7 Chair, for organizing another fantastic event. Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox and the POMA online calendar for more exciting upcoming events!

District 14

More than 20 physicians gathered last week at Bonefish Grill in Langhorne for a relaxed and informative evening. Richard Purse, DO, District 14 Chair, welcomed everyone to the gathering. Jonathan Oline, DO, POMA Trustee-at-Large, and Barry Getzoff, DO, District 14 Vice Chair, highlighted upcoming POMA events, including the 2025 POMA Clinical Assembly in May and the next District meeting planned for January 15 at Harvest Seasonal Grill in Newtown. Pamela Goldman, DO, POMA Foundation Chair, shared updates on the Resident Wellness and Community Enhancing Grant programs, and let everyone know to keep an eye out for the Bright Ideas Grant Program that will be launching in February. The evening concluded with a presentation on interventional glaucoma. Special thanks all who participated - Happy New Year!

The POMA Foundation continues to expand our programs that promote the osteopathic tenets of mind, body and spirit for patient care and for the physicians who treat them.

In 2024 alone, we gifted 751 first-year osteopathic medical students with their first white coat and stethoscope, valued at $109,500. We awarded over $25,000 to residency programs to fund wellness activities and combat burnout. We gifted 7 portable OMT tables to newly established osteopathically recognized residency programs across the state. We awarded over $261,600 to grant recipients to make a difference in their communities.

Your tax-deductible gift of $25, $50, $100 or more will make a huge difference to help the POMA Foundation continue accomplishing its mission.

Donate Today!

View the
newsletter online!

Table of Contents...

1. President's Perspective
2. Executive Opinion
3. Policy Points
4. POMA25 Registration is Open!
5. Call for JPOMA Submissions
6. Join us for Free Virtual Yoga
7. Welcome Resident Members!
8. Join us at POMA's Winter Residency Fair
9. 2025 Research Poster Session
10. District Competition Update
11. District Dish
12. POMA Foundation Year End Giving Campaign
13. Upcoming District Events
14. Welcome New Members!
15. Help Us Spread the News - POMA is Here for You!
16. Military Appreciation
17. Check Out the POMA DOes... Podcast Series
18. Contribute to POMPAC
19. Classified Ads

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.

Paul E. Harris, III, DO
4193 West Broad Street, Suite 200
Columbus, OH 43228
Active Out-of-State Member

Julia D. Judd, DO
960 North Lawrence Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Active Member – District 1

Hollynn P. Knight, DO
Allegheny Health Network
1200 Brooks Lane, Suite 110
Jefferson Hills, PA 15025
Active Member – District 8

Mary K. Lasher, DO
1920 West 8th Street
Erie, PA 16506
Active Member – District 7

David K. Osae, DO
55 Roth Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15211
Active Member – District 8

Daniel A. Pedersen, DO
LVHN
200 Schuylkill Medical Plaza
Pottsville, PA 17901
Active Member – District 11

Miko Rose, DO
IUP
421 North Walk
Kopchick Hall, Room 122
Indiana, PA 15705
Active Member – District 8

Ryan M. Smith, DO
IUP
421 North Walk
Kopchick Hall, Room 149
Indiana, PA 15705
Active Member – District 8

David J. Thomas, DO
740 East State Street
Sharon, PA 16146
Active Member – District 9

Catherine E. Toro, DO
1301 Carlisle Street
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Active Member – District 8

Ron W. Torrance, II, DO
Regenexx at New Regeneration Orthopedics
5630 Marquesas Circle
Sarasota, FL 34233
Active Out-of-State Member

Arjun R. Vyas, DO
Family Practice Center
1515 Bridge Street
New Cumberland, PA 17070
Active Member – District 5

Spread the News -
POMA is Here for You!

The new membership year has begun, but it's not too late to join!

Talk to your friends, colleagues, new graduates, and students about POMA. Share why you are a member and urge them to join, today!

Together, we can DO more! 

POMA supports and honors 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].

POMA DOes...Podcast

Have you tuned into the POMA DOes... podcast series? You can catch them on YouTube and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Recent episodes focus on "The Election Fallout" and "Slopes and Seminars". Also, watch for our upcoming special holiday episode which will be released December 27th - you won't want to miss it!

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.

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.

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