OU-HCOM wins six AACOM Excellence in Communication Awards

CORE logo, fold-out map and marketing campaign impress judges

By Richard Heck

April 30, 2009

(Bethesda, MD) – The annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine had a distinctly OU-HCOM flavor this year.

OU-HCOM and its affiliated teaching hospitals, the Centers of Osteopathic Research and Education (CORE), received six Excellence in Communications Awards from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) last week.

OU-HCOM and CORE projects placed first in five categories and third in a sixth category. The awards were presented during the AACOM Awards Banquet April 17.

“To maintain excellence and national recognition, medical schools depend on having accomplishments and goals communicated to potential students, alumni, legislators and other key constituencies,” said OU-HCOM Dean Jack Brose, D.O.

"Winning six of 14 awards presented at AACOM underscores that OU-HCOM does this better than any other college in our profession. I am extremely proud of our Communication Office, not only for winning these awards, but for their skill in highlighting exciting college news to the state and nation," Brose said.

 “We received many kudos from deans, associate deans and others present who admired our work,” said Keith Watson, D.O., associate dean for graduate medical education at OU-HCOM and chief academic officer of CORE, who attended the ceremony.

OU-HCOM and CORE took first place in the following categories:

• Best marketing or public relations campaign: CORE
• Best logo: CORE
• Best specialty item: CORE fold-out guide to hospitals and programs
• Best special event: OU-HCOM Spring Fling
• Best feature story or article: “Multilingual Medicine” 

OU-HCOM’s “Viewbook,” took third place in the best development or recruitment publication category.

“Our communication team and outside partners should feel very proud of their work,” said Karoline Lane, director of communication for OU-HCOM.

In addition to the staff and students of the OU-HCOM communication office who produced the work, Ullman Design, a graphic design firm based in Marietta, Ohio, designed the CORE logo and identity program, as well as the CORE fold-out map. Electronic Vision, an Athens web site consulting firm, designed the CORE web site.

“I knew our entries were strong, but I have to admit when I saw the program, I was quite surprised – very happily surprised – by the number of awards, especially five first place awards.”

Wendy Bresler, AACOM vice president for communications and marketing, said this year’s competition received more than 100 entries.

According to AACOM, the awards are “presented in honor of outstanding marketing, media relations, public education, writing and design efforts undertaken by the nation’s colleges of osteopathic medicine.” There are 28 colleges of osteopathic medicine nationally.

Also during the event, Timothy J. Barreiro, D.O. (’97), FCCP, FACOI, clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at St. Joseph Health Center (Warren, Ohio), was inducted into the inaugural class of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators (NAOME).