D.O. or Do Not: The Osteopathic Physician's Journey for Premed & Medical Students

Send us a textIn today's episode we have the pleasure of speaking to Dr. Anna Levy, D.O.   Dr. Levy is an oncologist who works in the very specialized area of liver related cancers.  Dr. Levy is Medical Director of Hepatobiliary Malignancies and the Hepatic Artery Pump Infusion Program, based at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center.   Dr Levy is  is Board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology.  She is  Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Health Medical School.  Dr. Levy earned her medical degree at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine followed by an Internal Medicine Residency at the Christiana Care Health System and ultimately completed her fellowship in Medical Oncology and Hematology at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center.Dr. Levy will delve into the life of an oncologist and the difficulties treating very sick patients.  She will discuss the difficulties of work life balance and how her family and home life allow her to “keep her cup full."  Dr. Levy will discuss the problem of suicide, among physicians specifically among high stress professions such as Hematology/ Oncology.  Dr. Levy will share her journey which started as an emigre from the Ukraine.  She will tell us about her discovery of Osteopathic Medicine and how she developed a  love for oncology, a difficult and complex specialty.  Please join us in our discussion with this  remarkable physician. . . a discussion you won’t want to miss!

Send us a textDirect Primary Care or DPC is a model of medicine that has been around for well over decade. It has become a growing movement of passionate physicians focusing on restoring the physician patient relationship and providing excellent healthcare at an affordable price. It gives patient’s direct access to their doctor, as well as an appropriate amount of time to really address illness and prevent disease. How is this possible you might ask? Well, by limiting the size of the doctor's patient panel, the patient is able to get the time they truly need and deserve. Instead of a panel of 4000 patients being seen in 5-10 minutes intervals, you have 400-600 patients being seen at 30-60 minute intervals. And instead of insurance denials and going through multiple administrative staff, you deal directly with your doctor. You can call, text, video chat, or email your doctor directly. You get same day or next day visits when you need them. It’s healthcare that makes sense. You simply pay a monthly membership fee, which covers your basic care. This also allows the doctor to provide cost savings to you on medications, labs, imaging and other services and procedures that are usually significantly overpriced. No insurance. No copays. Just you and the doc.

Send us a textThis week, we are joined by Dr. Lisa Warren, Dean of Western University of Health Sciences, COMP and COMP-Northwest. Dr. Warren discusses the unique student experiences across the dual campuses and Western U’s commitment to preparing students for future healthcare challenges. She emphasizes the importance of humanism, collaboration, and compassion within the Western U community.Dr. Warren reflects on her healthcare upbringing and her passion for serving underserved communities. As a former student-athlete, she shares how teamwork influenced her pursuit of osteopathic medicine and the holistic approach to patient care. Tune in to hear how her experiences shape her leadership in guiding future osteopathic physicians.I’m confident you’ll find Dr. Lisa Warren’s insights inspiring as you navigate your own journey in medicine.

Send us a text This week, we are joined by Dr. Ginamarie Papia, a remarkable physician whose journey spans from her studies at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to her current practice in integrative medicine. With a deep commitment to both traditional and complementary approaches, Ginamarie has seamlessly integrated her passion for patient-centered care with her expertise in osteopathic manipulative therapy. Her story embodies the spirit of resilience and dedication in the medical field. She will begin by sharing her path to becoming an osteopathic physician, highlighting how her values and the philosophy of osteopathic medicine aligned with her career goals. Ginamarie will then discuss her experiences at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, including the hands-on, problem-based learning approach that shaped her education. Finally, she’ll provide insights into her decision-making process for residency and how her journey led her to combine integrative medicine with endocrine practice. Dr. Ginamarie Papia’s experiences offer a unique perspective on blending traditional and integrative medicine. I hope her story motivates and provides you with fresh insights as you continue your own journey in the medical field.

Send us a textToday, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Chris Belland, D.O., a retired Navy flight surgeon and the first osteopathic physician to serve as president of the Aerospace Medical Association. Dr. Belland was recommended by Dr. Hauler and the American Osteopathic association who together are spearheading an effort to educate physicians about patient safety, and foster a culture of transparency and responsibility.  Dr. Belland graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and has dedicated his career to improving patient safety by drawing on lessons from high-reliability industries like aviation and nuclear power. He shares his unique perspective on how these industries’ structured approaches to risk management, including the ‘Swiss cheese model’ of risk mitigation, can be applied to healthcare to prevent medical errors.In our conversation, Dr. Belland explains the importance of occupational and preventive medicine, describing the role and responsibilities of physicians with this training. With a background in both aviation and medicine, he’s been on the frontlines of aerospace medicine, having served in combat zones, ensuring the readiness of our nation’s elite aviators, and fostering trust with his osteopathic philosophy of holistic care.Dr. Belland continues to make waves in aerospace medicine—from advising companies on UV-C technology to reduce disease transmission in aircraft, to collaborating on global initiatives for pandemic response. His journey highlights the incredible impact that osteopathic principles can have, from taking care of aviators in high-stress environments to his leadership in advancing healthcare on a global scale.Join us as we talk about his extraordinary career, the role of a flight surgeon, the intersection of osteopathic medicine and aerospace, and much more.

Send us a textThis is our third episode in a Series called M and M , or Myths and Misconceptions about Osteopathic Medicine.  Today we will tackle the sentiment that “Osteopathic Manual Medicine is Voodoo.”  Typically this is based on the fact that the scientific evidence behind the modality is limited.  I want to start by sharing with our listeners that a large percentage of what we do in “conventional medical care” on a daily basis does not have scientific foundation.  That having been said, there is no question that in Western Medicine- what we strive for is evidence to support our practice.  This includes many types of studies ranging from “bench work” in a lab to clinical research on patients.To tackle the question of is there “evidence” to support OMT, we will speak with Dr. Jordan Keys, DO professor of OMT at NYIT-COM and Dr. Kim Wolf, DO director of Pediatric OMM at  Touro California.  They will speak about their importance of showing the validity of Osteopathic Manipulation and the the others around the world that support their passion.They will share with us the conference they started this year which they call CORK or the Conference on Osteopathic Research and Knowledge, where they bring together scientist from around the world to share their insights into Evidence Based Osteopathic Care.

Send us a textWe are always excited when listeners reach out to us to share their story.  Today, we're excited to speak with Josh Baker, a DO/PhD student at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Josh will explain the path that a clinician scientist can take, the importance of scientific research and what Osteopathic Medicine offers that is special in this regard.Josh shares his journey toward pursuing a dual doctorate degree, beginning with his early research experiences as an undergraduate that sparked his interest in osteopathic medicine. Dr. Baker explains what  t the process of applying to DO/PhD and MD/PhD program looks likeand explains the benefits of obtaining both a DO and a PhD, including diversifying one’s skills and enhancing patient care in medicine. Josh discusses the unique opportunities and diversity of research which led him to choose MSU to complete his dual degree. Additionally, Dr. Baker provides insights into his current neuroimaging research on traumatic brain injury and shares his future career goals in radiology. Join us as we delve into Josh's unique path and explore the intersections of research and clinical practice in osteopathic medicine.

Send us a textMichael Ayoub was an Osteopathic Medical students with great expectations. . . and then  some difficulty passing a test called the COMLEX created a speed bump.  He didn't Match, he didn't SOAP. . . so what could he do?   Michael kept his chin up and took a job as a medical assistant with a pain management physician and tried again . . . and again.Dr. Ayoub never lost hope . . . never blamed anyone for his struggles . . . and continued to try.   In this "episode 4: A New Hope! "  Michael shares with us how he got through dark times in his medical journey and ultimately came out a Jedi!What a tale!

Send us a textToday, we’re joined by Dr. Richard Terry, D.O., a family medicine physician and founding dean of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Elmira campus, who also holds the title of  Assistant Dean of Regional Clinical Education. Dr. Terry shares how LECOM started the branch campus system and highlights the New York- Elmira campus’s problem-based learning curriculum, which fosters collaboration and prepares students for medical practice. Dr. Terry shares insights about the Elmira community and the early hands-on clinical rotations at local hospitals, starting as early as the first year of medical school. He highlights the robust research opportunities available to students, as well as LECOM’s mission to recruit New York State residents with a passion for serving underserved communities. We also discuss the accelerated six-year D.O. program in collaboration with the Elmira College and explore LECOM Elmira’s 100% match rate for 2024, with 52% of graduates matching into New York hospitals. Join us as we learn how LECOM Elmira is working to shape the future of osteopathic medicine and preparing students to make a meaningful impact.

Send us a textToday’s episode is a crossover episode of an interview with Chris fullmer, a plastic surgery resident at Penn State.   To start, our listeners should know that for plastic surgery there are two paths, the traditional which includes application to general surgery followed by a second match into a plastic surgery fellowship and a newer path applying directly to integrated plastic surgery.Integrated plastics is one of the most competitive matches after medical school with a match rate 20 percentage points lower than the average every year.  Applicants are required to have extraordinary Step Scores, high numbers of research papers and significant volunteer hours in addition to stellar audition rotations.  Chris will discuss his journey starting as a soccer player in college and going on a Mormon Mission before deciding on medical school.  He will discuss his decision to attend osteopathic medical school and how his DO student friend’s father, a renowned plastic surgeon helped to define his path.  He will speak about the trials and tribulations including addiction and balancing his relationship with his wife throughout his quest with achieving his dream.   Ultimately he inadvertently speak about the “secred DO handshake” and how finding a DO attending at Penn State may have ultimately helped him seal his fate.We would like to thank Curtis Wilkerson Curtis Wilkerson, a rising first year osteopathic student at Michigan state, for the interview.  An unedited version can be found on the podcast the physician's mind.