by Brooke Bunch

A week ago Wednesday, OU-COM students and faculty were honored for their commitment and service to the D.O. profession and each other.

The Distinguished Osteopathic Commitment (DOC) Awards dinner and ceremony honored faculty and students who excelled academically and went that extra mile to assist students. Nominees were chosen by first- and second-year students as well as faculty. The April 6 event was sponsored by the Student Government, Sigma Sigma Phi, the Office of Alumni Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs.

“The DOC awards honored those individuals who demonstrated outstanding commitment and service to the osteopathic profession over the past year,” says Christina Peters, president of Student Government and co-coordinator of the event.

“Often times, in such a busy environment, students don’t take the time to recognize the contributions of faculty, staff and other students to our lives,” Peters says. “The DOC awards program is a formal event that gives us the opportunity to recognize and honor those people who made a difference in our education and in our lives.”

According to Sigma Sigma Phi President Shannon Mixon, ceremony co-coordinator and second-year student, the DOC awards were an excellent time for the students, faculty and staff to get together and recognize those people who have gone above and beyond students’ expectations in their commitment to osteopathic medicine.

“This commitment is extremely important, because if we stay committed as osteopaths, we can offer patients quality medical care incorporating osteopathic principles that most doctors don’t have training in,” says Mixon. “It is really our duty when we graduate to uphold these tenets and provide the holistic care that we were trained to provide.”

Peters says medicine — especially osteopathic medicine — is a service profession.

“We serve patients, students and the communities in which we practice,” she says. “Commitment to such an end ensures the highest quality of care to patients and superb training for students. Communities benefit as well; it was the osteopathic profession that responded to the call for primary care service long before it was popular to do so. Today, D.O.s are still committed to same service ideal.”

A D.O. who was honored for his commitment and service — and the ability to imbue others with a sense of commitment to osteopathic medicine — was Michael Clark, D.O., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology. Clark received the Outstanding Osteopathic Mentor Award, which is given to a physician who has had a very significant influence on a student’s decision to pursue osteopathy — so much so that Clark convinced an OU-COM professor to become an OU-COM student.

“His enthusiasm about medicine and his faith in me were so palpable I shook off my lingering doubts, set aside my research career and made the leap into osteopathic medicine,” says Linda Ross, Ph.D., second-year student — and now part-time OU-COM associate professor of developmental neurobiology. Ross presented Clark this year’s Outstanding Osteopathic Mentor Award. “His deep-rooted connection to medicine, osteopathic principles and patience is what we students will strive to emulate in our own practices someday.”

Also awarded for their service to students were Richard Klabunde, Ph.D., associate professor of physiology, and Pat O’Connor, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience, who were honored as Outstanding Basic Science Presenters.

“They have demonstrated extraordinary teaching, shown special concern for their students and displayed enthusiasm in the courses they teach,” says CPC presenter Sean Carlson, a first-year student.

First-year student Eric Beck (CPC) was honored as Outstanding Tutor and All-Around Great Classmate. Using his previous experience as a paramedic and emergency cardiac care instructor, Beck held several ECC tutorials for his peers during the cardiovascular block.

“I hope that by offering my limited knowledge in the area I spurred some interest on the topic and furthered their understanding of the material,” Beck says.

The complete list of awards is below.

Outstanding Basic Science Presenter

• Year 1 CPC — Richard Klabunde, Ph.D.
• Year 2 CPC — Pat O’Connor, Ph.D.
• Year 1 PCC — Pat O’Connor, Ph.D.
• Year 2 PCC — Richard Klabunde, Ph.D.

Outstanding Clinical Presenter

• Year 1 CPC — Scott Jenkinson, D.O.
• Year 2 CPC — Jay Shubrook, D.O.
• Year 1 PCC — Peter Dane, D.O.
• Year 2 PCC — Michael Clark, D.O.

Outstanding ICOM Preceptor

• Year 1 PCC — Jay Shubrook, D.O.
• Year 2 PCC — Jane Broecker, D.O.

Outstanding CEE Preceptor

• Year 1 CPC — David Stroh, D.O.
• Year 2 CPC — Jay Shubrook, D.O.

Best PCC Case

• Year 1 PCC — John Sweet (authors: John Wolf, D.O., and Michelle Wright, D.O.)
• Year 2 PCC — Mary McDaniels (authors: Katherine Kelly, Ph.D., and David Stroh, D.O.)

Best CPC Block Team

• Year 1 CPC — Cardiovascular (Richard Klabunde, Ph.D.)
• Year 2 CPC — Neurology (Pat O’Connor, Ph.D.)

Outstanding Lab Instructor

• Year 1 CPC — Robert Hikida, Ph.D.
• Year 2 CPC — Robert Hikida, Ph.D.
• Year 1 PCC — Pat O’Connor, Ph.D.
• Year 2 PCC — Pat O’Connor, Ph.D.

Individual Staff Member Recognition

• Year 1 CPC — Mark Loudin
• Year 2 CPC — Mark Loudin
• Year 1 PCC — Debbie Thomas
• Year 2 PCC — Debbie Thomas

Outstanding Group Facilitator

• Year 1 CPC — Doug Mann, Ph.D.; David Stroh, D.O.; Rico Rana, Ph.D.; and Ed Robles, D.O.
• Year 2 CPC — David Stroh, D.O.
• Year 1 PCC — William Duerfeldt, D.O.
• Year 2 PCC — William Duerfeldt, D.O.

OU-COM Mentor Recognition

• Year 1 CPC — William Duerfeldt, D.O., and Robert Hikida, Ph.D.
• Year 2 CPC — Mark Loudin and Robert Hikida, Ph.D.
• Year 1 PCC — Ian Suzelis
• Year 2 PCC — William Duerfeldt, D.O.

Outstanding Tutor

• Year 1 CPC — Eric Beck and Ian Suzelis
• Year 2 CPC — Ehab Hussein
• Year 1 PCC — Tim Kermode
• Year 2 PCC — William Miller

Class Advocate

• Year 1 CPC — Mary Bonar
• Year 2 CPC — Emily Wolcott
• Year 1 PCC — Luis Perez
• Year 2 PCC — Jennifer Mejilla

Peer Mentor

• Year 1 CPC — Isabelle Escano
• Year 2 CPC — Isabelle Escano
• Year 1 PCC — Tim Kermode
• Year 2 PCC — Isabelle Escano

All-Around Great Classmate

• Year 1 CPC — Eric Beck
• Year 2 CPC — Ryan Mast
• Year 1 PCC — Erin Herrick
• Year 2 PCC — Sean Blake

Student Government Special Recognition Award

• Janitorial Staff

• Grosvenor and Grosvenor West: Al Smith, Ron Foster, Steve Pickens and Johnny Stotts
• Irvine: Jack Clark, Tim Nelson and Jason Brown

Student Government Leadership Award

• Jack Brose, D.O.

Year II Special Recognition Awards

• Mark Loudin
• Bobbi Conliffe, Betsy Keyes, and Learning Resource Center Staff
• Fellows — Isabelle Escano, Ian Suzelis, Shannon McAfee, Jody Gerome, Melissa Gasaway, Jason Cappuzzello and Jason Mazzurco

Family Medicine Yr I and Yr II Awards

• Yr I — Luis Perez     
• Yr II — Kerwyn Flowers

Outstanding Basic Science Student

• Ekokobe Fonkem

COMrade of the Year

• Jack Tuepker
• Ryan Mast
• Kerwyn Flowers

Student D.O. of the Year

·        Isabelle Escano

Student Government Top Organization Award

·        Student Association of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians