CCOM Dean Karen Nichols is President-Elect of the AOA

History in the osteopathic medical profession was made yesterday, as CCOM Dean Karen J. Nichols, D.O., was elected to the office of President-Elect of the American Osteopathic Association.

In July 2010, Dr. Nichols will become the 114th President of the AOA and the first woman to serve in this role in the organization's history.

Photo: Dr. Nichols is escorted by her husband Jim and countless friends and colleagues as she is named the new President-Elect of the AOA. (Courtesy of the AOA Daily Report; John Crosby)

Dr. Nichols has long served as a trustee of the AOA and in various leadership roles, most recently as Chair of the Medical Education Summit Progress Task Force and Chair of the Council on Palliative Care Issues. She has been the dean of CCOM since 2002 and was previously the assistant dean of AZCOM for graduate medical education. A resident of both Arizona and Illinois, she is a past president of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association and a past president of the American Council of Osteopathic Internists.

On a personal note, I am proud to say that Dr. Nichols is a good friend. Despite her beyond-busy schedule, she took the time to be one of my doctoral dissertation advisors and readers, and she gave me invaluable advice as I completed my study on, ironically, women in osteopathic medicine. It is no wonder that she had such a large group of family, friends, and colleagues who walked behind her as she was announced as the President-Elect.

Congratulations Dr. Nichols! We know you will make all of us at MWU and CCOM very proud as always, and you will be an exemplary leader for the AOA!