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OMED

OMED speaker Ben Nemtin challenges DOs to embrace the ripple effect

By AOA Staff

10.27.22

Members of the osteopathic medical community have the power to make a tremendous impact on the health of our nation, according to OMED Main Stage speaker Ben Nemtin, who delivered the opening keynote address Friday morning to more than 6,000 virtual and in-person conference attendees at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

Hosted by the American Osteopathic Association, OMED is the world’s largest medical education conference for osteopathic physicians (DOs), osteopathic medical students and other members of the healthcare profession. Register today for on-demand access to all OMED22 content and CME programming through Dec. 31. 2022.

“There is a ripple effect when you help someone. You don’t just help them—you help all the people around them,” said Nemtin. “The work you do as DOs has an immense ripple in your communities. You are healing people’s mind, body and spirits. It impacts your patients and their families.”

Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?” and a star of MTV’s highest rated show ever on iTunes and Amazon called “The Buried Life.” As the co-founder of The Buried Life Movement, Nemtin’s message of radical possibility has been featured on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, FOX, and NBC News.

While struggling with anxiety and depression as a young college student, Nemtin set out to define a guiding purpose for his life. He created a lengthy bucket list and left home in a rickety old RV with three of his best friends to start doing all the things he’d always wanted to do. But, there was a catch. Every time they accomplished a dream, they helped a complete stranger cross something off their own bucket list.

“There are moments in our lives when we are inspired to do something incredible, but our day-to-day lives keep us from achieving our buried dreams,” said Nemtin.

Drawing from his personal struggles, he stressed the importance of becoming comfortable discussing mental health. Everyone should have a “mental health toolkit” that includes healthy habits and routines for maintaining positive mental health, he said, adding that his own toolkit includes gratitude, exercise, mindfulness, digital detox, connection, purpose, helping others and nature.

“You need to create your own list,” Nemtin said. “Go after the things in your life that give you passion.”