The application period for 2026-27 B/C/C volunteer leadership roles is open now through April 30 | LEARN MORE
Join the AOA for the osteopathic profession’s premier public policy event of the year: DO Day 2026. Whether you attend in-person or virtually, DO Day offers a platform for physicians and medical students to sharpen their leadership skills while advocating for the legislative issues that matter most to doctors and patients alike.
AOA Trustee Joshua Lenchus, DO, grew up imagining a future in medicine, but no one in his family worked in healthcare. Like many first-generation DOs, his understanding of medicine was shaped more by what he read or heard than by familiarity via a physician family member. When he first explored medical school, what he understood … Read More
Tanzina A. Ela, DO, arrived in the United States from Bangladesh in 2017 with bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBBS) medical degrees, an internship behind her and the expectation that her life was finally beginning. Instead, life as she knew it was ending. The arranged marriage she entered months earlier became violent fast, … Read More
Physique-focused culture has exploded among adolescents and young adults, as has the nonmedical use of exogenous testosterone. Often obtained through nontraditional sources such as medical spas, online clinics or street vendors, testosterone is increasingly used to enhance athletic performance, build muscle or sculpt an “ideal” body image with the goal of attaining an unachievable physique. … Read More
A generation ago, recognizing a dangerous heart rhythm required being in the right place at the right time. Today, it may begin on someone’s wrist.
Retroflexion is a maneuver used during endoscopy or colonoscopy. I explain to my patients that this maneuver involves the scope being configured into a J- or candy-cane-like shape to allow the physician to look back on areas that might otherwise be missed, such as the rectum or the fundus (the top of the stomach). The … Read More
Here’s a fun fact: A parent can hire a “medical school application advisor” for their child as early as eighth grade. It’s true—both inclusive packages and hourly rates are available.
Lt. Col. Ivan Edwards, DO, has published his first book, “Resonance of the Soul: Flowers and Harmonics,” a collection of poetry that explores love, culture, resilience, healing and shared human experiences. In addition to being a published author, Dr. Edwards is also a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who serves as a United States … Read More
February is Black History Month in the U.S., so for this column we wanted to spotlight Darnita Anderson Hill, DO. Dr. Hill is a member of a historically important Black family; her father, AOA Past President William G. Anderson, DO, was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement and was also the first Black president of … Read More