AACOM Announces Members of Task Force on Ethics and Professionalism

On February 5, AACOM released a statement to the osteopathic medical education community in the wake of the Larry Nassar trial and conviction. The statement affirmed the Association’s commitment to support our profession and its members, and its resolution to take decisive steps to help prevent similar instances of criminal and unscrupulous behavior from occurring in the future.

To advance this commitment, AACOM has formed the Task Force on Ethics and Professionalism. This distinguished group is comprised of appointed leaders from AACOM’s various stakeholder groups, as well as AACOM staff representatives, who are charged with evaluating current professional standards and ethics, assessing curricular designs, and making necessary recommendations to further strengthen every aspect of our educational system and professional standards.

AACOM Task Force on Ethics and Professionalism

• Chair: Margaret Wilson, DO, Dean, A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Co-Chair: Timothy Kowalski, DO, Dean, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus
• Council on Student Affairs (CSA) Representative: Thomas Moorman, EdD, Vice President for Student Affairs, University of North Texas Health Science Center/Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Curriculum Representative: Trish Sexton, DHEd, Associate Dean for Curriculum, A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Educational Council on Osteopathic Principles (ECOP) Representative: Stacey Pierce-Talsma, DO, MS, Chair OPP Department, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine-California
• Expert Representative: Martin A. Finkel, DO, Professor of Pediatrics and the Medical Director and Co-Founder of the Child Abuse Research Education & Service (CARES) Institute, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP) Representative: Taran W. Silva, 2d Lt, U.S. Air Force,  Osteopathic Medical Student at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Assembly of Osteopathic Graduate Medical Educators (AOGME) Representative: Steven Gates, DO, Vice President of Graduate Medical Education, DIO, Corpus Christi Medical Center
• Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators (SOME) Representative: Nicole Wadsworth, DO, Senior Associate Dean, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
• AACOM Staff Liaison:
  • Mark Speicher, PhD, Senior Vice President for Medical Education and Research

The Task Force held its first in-person meeting in conjunction with Educating Leaders 2018, the AACOM Annual Conference, in Washington, DC on April 19. The group will hold its next meeting in June. Outcomes of this meeting will provide a framework for the group’s work plan moving forward.