News Releases

American Osteopathic Association installs William S. Mayo, DO, as 122nd president

Ophthalmologist and clinical Instructor plans to make board certification more cost-effective, technologically advanced

By AOA Media Team

07.23.18

CHICAGO—July 23, 2018—William S. Mayo, DO, an ophthalmologist from Oxford, Mississippi, was installed Saturday as president of the American Osteopathic Association.

Dr. Mayo assumed the presidency before an estimated 500 osteopathic physicians (DOs) at the American Osteopathic Association’s annual business meeting in Chicago. The organization represents the professional interests of the nation’s more than 137,000 DOs and osteopathic medical students.

“Single accreditation brings tremendous promise for the expansion of osteopathic medicine,” said Dr. Mayo. “In order to realize that potential, we’ll need to ensure our continuing education and board certification offerings are cost and time efficient, and designed to leverage the best advanced technology.”

Dr. Mayo is a board-certified ophthalmologist practicing in Oxford, Mississippi. He also is a clinical instructor at the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he served as chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology.

A graduate of the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Dr. Mayo completed a residency in ophthalmology at University of Mississippi Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Mayo is a past president of the Mississippi Osteopathic Medical Association and served on the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure since 2006-2018, where he was president from 2010-2012.

Also Saturday, delegates named AOA Trustee Ronald Burns, DO, president-elect of the AOA. Dr. Burns is a board-certified family medicine physician in Orlando, Florida. His term will begin in July 2019.

About the American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 137,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools.

To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit www.DoctorsThatDo.org.

About the AOA House of Delegates
The AOA’s House of Delegates, comprised of more than 500 delegates representing osteopathic state medical associations, specialty societies, interns, residents and students from throughout the country, meets annually in July to set organizational policies for the American Osteopathic Association and elect its officers.

Media Contact:
Jeff Brennan, media relations manager
(312) 202-8161 | jbrennan@osteopathic.org