OHPF Class of 2025 Finishes Strong Year

The Osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship (OHPF) held its final session of the year at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) from June 12-14, 2025, culminating in the successful graduation of 11 dynamic osteopathic professionals committed to addressing pressing health policy issues for years to come.

During the two-day session, the fellows engaged with experts—all DOs—doing innovative policy work in a range of areas, from autism care to addressing gun violence to devising ways to meet patients’ basic financial needs. The fellows also enjoyed a rich conversation with Jay Feldstein, DO, president and chief executive officer of PCOM, who provided an overview of major changes over the past decades in the financing of healthcare, as well as a snapshot of a broad array of health policy challenges that face the United States today.

In their final session, the fellows were treated to an inspirational conversation with J. Steven Blake, DO, OHPF ‘01, who implored the fellows to think deeply about how the context of medicine today is part of the historical evolution of medicine itself. Dr. Blake encouraged the fellows to situate themselves in this policy moment while serving as voices for principled change, and to be courageous in their advocacy.

The Philadelphia session concluded with a presentation of certificates of completion to the fellows, who join hundreds of alumni who have completed the program over the 30 years since it was established in 1994 by OHPF Founder, Barbara Ross-Lee, DO.

“This group of fellows is creative, smart and incredibly enthusiastic about using what they learned this year to change American healthcare for the better” said Dan Skinner, PhD, OHPF director and professor of Health Policy at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. “I couldn’t be prouder of this group. It was an honor to work with them over the past 10 months.”