Serving as the professional home for more than 207,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students, the AOA works to advance the distinctive philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine.
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in Practice
AOA leadership is extremely saddened to report the tragic passing of Blake Thacker, the son of AOA President-elect Richard Thacker, DO, and wife Sherry Thacker. Blake perished in the Missouri skydiving plane accident on Sunday, June 14, 2026. Blake was among the 12 who perished in the accident, including 11 skydivers and the pilot, when … Read More
AOA, AOA Board Certification, OMED
This year’s OMED Joint Specialty Session will bring together physicians from across the osteopathic profession for a half-day, deep dive into one of medicine’s most universal—and most underutilized—clinical tools: nutrition. The session is organized into four, 35-minute panels, each pairing a presentation with direct Q&A and built around a different stage or application of nutritional … Read More
The sterile, quiet room held a gravity I hadn’t prepared for. My father lay there, thin and frail, utterly dependent on gentle care of the hospice staff. It was in that stark setting, watching him in his final days, that the wall of resentment I had built over decades crumbled. The estrangement between us, a … Read More
Before osteopathic medical school or the transition into residency, many future physicians learn the heartbeat of healthcare right at home. They grow up watching what it truly means to care for a community, absorbing the values of empathy, dedication and whole-person care over the dinner table.
Artificial intelligence (AI) use in medicine is becoming increasingly widespread. A 2025 survey found that two out of every three doctors reported using healthcare AI in 2024—an increase of 78% compared to 2023. This trend is likely to continue in 2026 and beyond.
Science has shown that solid relationships keep one healthier and happier, forming the bedrock of a meaningful existence—but if you were to ask civil rights activist and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Past President William “Andy” Anderson, DO, what makes a meaningful life, he would not answer with clinical data, but rather with a story.
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