HSC faculty, alumni to receive AOF awards

Members of the Health Science Center family will bring home top awards from the American Osteopathic Foundation Honors Dinner at next month’s American Osteopathic Association annual convention in San Diego. Dr. Mark Sanders, a 1998 TCOM graduate and assistant professor of family and community medicine, will receive the Wyeth Emerging Leader Award. Dr. John Licciardone, professor of manipulative medicine and director of clinical research at the Osteopathic Research Center, will receive the Gutensohn-Denslow Research Award. Dr. Christine Estrada, a graduate of the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine who earned her master of public health degree here and is currently a palliative medicine fellow in our Department of Family and Community Medicine, will receive the Merck Outstanding Resident of the Year Award. Earlier this year, the AOF presented Dr. Bruce Dubin, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of internal medicine, its Educator of the Year award.

The Wyeth Emerging Leader Award is given to osteopathic physicians in practice fewer than five years who have a strong commitment to the osteopathic profession and exhibit the exemplary characteristics of emerging leaders within the profession.

The Gutensohn-Denslow Research Award is given to a researcher who has proven accomplishments in research, education and service.

The Merck Outstanding Resident of the Year Award is given to osteopathic physicians currently in their second through last year of an American Osteopathic Association-approved residency program who go above and beyond to bring a sense of pride to the osteopathic profession. The chosen recipients have a strong commitment to osteopathic philosophy, compassion and patient care, and have strong leadership skills, as well as a commitment to education and the enrichment of self and others.

The AOF Educator of the Year Award honors an individual who not only emulates the osteopathic profession's high standards of excellence in teaching, but also exemplifies a significant and long-standing contribution to the academic advancement of osteopathic students and the profession.