FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2010

Chicago Based American Osteopathic Association Prepares to Install First Female President

(CHICAGO) – On Saturday, July 17, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) will install its first female president, Karen J. Nichols, DO, an AOA board-certified internal medicine physician from Oak Brook, Ill. Dr. Nichols will be the 114th president of the association, which represents the nation’s more than 70,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs).

“I am deeply honored to be elected to this position by my peers,” said Dr. Nichols. “As one of only 18 females in my medical school graduating class, I am also proud to see the role of women in medicine continue to grow and to be the first woman to serve as president of the AOA.”

After 17 years of practicing internal medicine, Dr. Nichols turned to educating future physicians, becoming dean of the Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (MWU/CCOM) in Downers Grove, Ill., in 2002.

Dr. Nichols has been a member of the AOA since 1981 and a member of the AOA Board of Trustees since 1999. She is also a former chair of the AOA Department of Government Affairs and the AOA Council on Palliative Care Issues.

Aside from her AOA responsibilities, Dr. Nichols has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Institute for National Health Policy Review; as president of the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI); president of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA); and as a member of the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society (IOMS).

Dr. Nichols has received many honors and awards including Fellow of the Institute of Medicine-Chicago; the first AOMA Physician of the Year; AOA Mentor Hall of Fame Inductee; the Outstanding Achievement Award from the MWU/CCOM Alumni Association Board of Governors; recipient of the IOMS Distinguished Service Award; and the Clinician of the Year from Mesa General Hospital.

Upon graduating from the Kansas City (Mo.) University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Nichols went on to serve an internship before entering residency training in internal medicine at the former Oklahoma Osteopathic Hospital in Tulsa. In addition to her board certification, she earned a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics and is a Master Fellow of the ACOI.

The AOA proudly represents its professional family of more than 70,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs); promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical colleges; and has federal authority to accredit hospitals and other health care facilities. More information on DOs/osteopathic medicine can be found at www.osteopathic.org.

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Contact:

Nicole Grady
(800) 621-1773, ext. 8038 (Toll free)
(312) 202-8038 (Office)
ngrady@osteopathic.org   

 
Vicki Martinka
(800) 621-1773, ext. 8159 (Toll free)
(312) 202-8159 (Office)
vmartinka@osteopathic.org