It’s almost time to celebrate National Osteopathic Medicine Week which kicks off Monday, April 14th and runs through Sunday, April 20th. NOM Week celebrates the significant contributions of nearly 200,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and medical students providing whole-person care for millions of patients nationwide. This year, NOM Week activities honor the 150th anniversary of osteopathic medicine, which has evolved to become one of the fastest-growing segments of health care.
Washington is home to more than 2,558 DOs who practice in every specialty and combine their medical expertise with a whole-person approach centered on listening to and partnering with their patients. In addition, Washington plays a critical role in educating and training future U.S. physician workforce members who attend the Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Over the past 150 years, the osteopathic medical profession has grown exponentially and today represents approximately 11% of all physicians and more than 28% of all medical students in the U.S. More prospective physicians than ever before are pursuing careers as DOs, with nearly 40,000 medical students attending 42 colleges of osteopathic medicine across 67 campuses.
DOs hold some of the most distinguished positions in medicine today, caring for current and past U.S. presidents, overseeing the NASA medical team and leading some of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals and health systems.
Members of the osteopathic medical community who would like to join in the festivities next week can access the NOM Week Celebration Kit, which has downloadable social graphics and other resources for sharing DO pride. The kit also includes special social graphics for DOs and for medical students.
Thank you for all that you DO for the osteopathic profession. Here’s to a fantastic week!
