Be Mindful on Monday

Carlos G. Lowell, DO, will present on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) at the next Mindfulness Monday, September 11, 7pm on Zoom. It is a free online program exclusively for OOA members.

TMS is a noninvasive procedure to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Dr. Lowell, a board-certified psychiatrist in Sandusky, is back by popular demand after presenting at the March Mindfulness Monday. He is the co-chair of the Clinical Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Society Education Committee and the first DO to start a TMS program in Ohio.

Register here to receive an automated email with the Zoom link.

SMBO to Host Public Hearing for Rule Changes

The State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) is hosting a public hearing next month to consider the adoption for the following rules:

• Impaired Practitioners
• Mental or Physical Impairment
• Reporting Requirements
• Miscellaneous Provisions Rules
• Issuance of License to Out-of-State Licensees or Certificate Holders

The hearing is in accordance with state law and is set for October 4. Oral or written testimony may be presented. For details, see the hearing notice here and the rules here.

Separately, the Ohio Coalition of Primary Care Physicians will host a free webinar on Thursday, November 9 at 7:00 pm about the new SMBO program that will replace Ohio’s one-bite program. Staff from the Ohio Professionals Health Program will lead the session. Watch for details coming soon.

OOA Chosen for New National Project

The OOA will join the American Osteopathic Association and six other osteopathic organizations for an RSV and influenza prevention project. The overall goal of the new program is to enhance physician and health care team knowledge, skills, and practice in partnering with patients on prevention and interventions with special outreach to those working in medically underserved and rural areas.

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common and contagious virus that typically produces mild symptoms but can put older or chronically ill patients at serious risk. According to the CDC, an estimated 60,000 to 160,000 older adults are hospitalized with RSV each year, and 6,000 to 10,000 die annually from the infection.

A national survey conducted in July showed seven in 10 adults over age 50 said they had not heard about the new RSV vaccine. In addition, 60% reported hearing or reading little to nothing about RSV itself. Pollsters say these low levels of awareness were consistent across gender, race/ethnicity, education, and income.

Budget Bill Changes EMFTS Nomination Process

For many years there have been blurbs in OSTEOFACTS calling for nominations to the State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services (EMFTS). The Board establishes training and certification standards for emergency medical services personnel, accreditation of EMS training programs, and more.

Board members are appointed by the Governor as spelled out in the Ohio Revised Code—which calls for three nominations from the OOA and three nominations from the Ohio Chapter, American College of Emergency Physicians. This stipulation for three nominees from each organization has been deleted from state law effective October 4. The change was included in the state budget bill, HB 33.

According to Robert L. Wagoner, director of the Ohio Division of Emergency Medical Services, seats on the board often remain vacant because of the provision requiring professional association nominations before an appointment can be made. He noted the nominating organization for the EMS training seat is now defunct.

Currently EMFTS is seeking nominations for the following vacancies:

• Seat #1 - ER physician
• Seat #2 - trauma surgeon
• Seat #3 - ER pediatrician
• Seat #4 - hospital administrator

The Governor is required to appoint only members with expertise or background in EMS or trauma care and attempt to include members representing urban and rural areas, various geographical regions of the state, and various schools of training.

Interested candidates should call the OOA Office at 614-299-2107.

Making a Match

The residency application process for the 2024 match cycle is underway. Medical students could begin submitting their applications this week via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Match Day is March 15, 2024.

To the OMS-IVs, we encourage you to prioritize programs in Ohio with Osteopathic Recognition. Residencies with the OR designation demonstrate a commitment to teaching Osteopathic Principles and Practice in the clinical learning environment. These programs are dedicated to training the next generation of DOs and provide valuable skills to enhance your future practice.

Ohio has the second most OR programs of any state in the nation—35 and counting! Pennsylvania claims the top spot with 47. Check out the OOA website for a directory of Ohio OR programs, specialties, and contact information.

Two Ohioans, Kristen Conrad-Schnetz, DO, and John R. Casey, DO, serve on the ACGME Osteopathic Recognition Committee.

Student Loan Repayment Program Now Accepting Apps

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program is now accepting applications for the 2024 program.

Students in their final year of medical school can receive up to $120,000 for education loans, in addition to a competitive salary and benefits. This is in exchange for three years of full-time service or part-time for six years.

This year, there is an additional $40,000 supplement for medical students who commit to providing OB/GYN services in a maternity care target area.

This is a federal program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Application deadline is December 7. Complete details are here.

Lock It Up!

When you go to the OOA website, you may now notice HTTPS and the small padlock icon in the address bar. This means the site is secured with a digital certificate and that any information sent between your browser and the website server is transmitted safely. The connection is encrypted and can’t be intercepted.

The OOA site has always had these security measures in place for all pages requiring financial data, like CME registration forms and membership renewals. This new update simply provides an extra layer of comfort for website visitors. Additionally, whether a page includes personal information or not, HTTPS is becoming the standard for all websites.