April 18, 2017
CCOM students welcome AOA president-elect, Dr. Mark Baker, to the Downers Grove Campus.
Students and faculty members from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine gave a warm welcome to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) president-elect during his visit to the Downers Grove Campus. Mark Baker, D.O., traveled to campus to share information about the growth of the osteopathic profession and encourage students to be active members of the organization.
"Today, the osteopathic profession is growing by leaps and bounds," Dr. Baker said. "You are the future of our profession and we want to engage you and support you in any way that we can. When I look out at this group, I see leaders, potential, and opportunities."
Dr. Baker explained that the AOA has embarked on a series of strategic initiatives including more grant funding for osteopathic research, increased advocacy at the state and federal level, and continued support of core osteopathic principles. "The AOA looks forward to continuing to advance our profession in the 21st century. Our future is bright," he added.
Dr. Baker also recognized the leadership and engagement demonstrated by CCOM's Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA), which received the Golden Femur/Chapter of the Year Award. Dr. Baker is an osteopathic diagnostic radiologist from Fort Worth, Texas and will serve as president of AOA for the 2017-18 term.