Osteopathically Yours

Larry W. Anderson, DO, FACOFP dist.

2016 - 2017 ACOFP President

As I wind down my years a ACOFP President, I’d like to thank you for your support and to recap some of the initiatives that ACOFP will continue to support this year.

During my inauguration speech nearly a year ago, I talked about my philosophy as ACOFP president - “DO all the good you can DO.” That sentence starts and ends with a "DO."

As I spoke of it then, it came from a partial quote from John Wesley, the leader of the Methodist movement where he said:

"Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can."

So I still challenge all of you to not hide the light of osteopathy. Please seek out others who you may inspire and that they may see the shining light of our profession.

In March during the 2017 ACOFP convention, I will pass torch to Dr. Rodney Wiseman, a family physician in private practice from Pearland, Texas, located outside of Houston.

Among his many honors, Dr. Wiseman is a past recipient of the ACOFP Osteopathic Family Physician of the Year Award and the Texas Society of the ACOFP Family Physician of the Year Award and the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association Distinguished Ser- vice Award.

Also, Dr. Wiseman served in the U.S. Army as a combat medic with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star.

So it’s clear I leave the ACOFP in capable hands.

It has been a pleasure meeting many of you as your president dur- ing my travels to state societies and college. Thank you for the op- portunity to serve you.

ACOFP President Travel

One of the honors of being an ACOFP president is traveling to state societies and osteopathic colleges where I met so many dedicated professionals, resident and students. Looking back, I traveled to 15 destinations to induct new state presidents, meet students and at- tend osteopathic meetings.

State Societies: Ohio ACOFP, Oklahoma ACOFP, Maine ACOFP, Florida ACOFP, Indiana ACOFP, Oregon ACOFP, North Carolina ACOFP, Missouri ACOFP.

Of 158 osteopathic-only programs, 46 programs have applied for Single Accreditation System. ACOFP’s phone campaign results have indicated that out of the remaining 112 programs, 62 are working on the application. The remaining programs that are un- certain. ACOFP leadership is working with them and will offer as- sistance in the application process.

Family Medicine for American’s Health

The ACOFP continues to partner with Family Medicine for Ameri- ca’s Health, a consortium of family medicine groups, which includes the ACOFP. Health is Primary is the communications campaign to advocate for values of family medicine, demonstrate the benefits of primary care, and engage patients in our health care system. Its aim is to build a primary care system that reflects the values of family medicine, puts patients at the center of their care and im- prove health of all Americans.

Osteopathically yours,

Larry W. Anderson, DO, FACOFP dist. 2016 -2017 ACOFP President