D.O. or Do Not: The Osteopathic Physician's Journey for Premed & Medical Students

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Dr. Manish Sharma is a graduate of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in emergency medicine. He is an associate professor at the Cornell Weill School of Medicine and currently serves as the chairman of emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Queens. He holds an MBA and has extensive leadership experience. He has a long history as a successful educator and believes in collaboration as a foundation for delivering high-quality compassionate medical care. We hope you enjoy this episode.

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On this episode of the D.O. or Do Not Podcast, we interview Dr. Laura Wolfe a non-invasive cardiologist and mother of 2. Dr. Wolfe attended medical school at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic medicine, completed her internal medicine residency at NYU-Winthrop Hospital, and continued to pursue a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at that institution. She currently works with a large group practice affiliated with Stony Brook University Hospital. On today’s interview, Dr. Wolfe will share her medical journey, how she navigated and excelled as a D.O. in a predominantly M.D. residency, and how she has excelled as a female physician in a male dominated sub-specialty. Dr. Wolfe will also reflect on her relationship with her late aunt and role model Dr. Natalie Assalone whose story was featured in episode #75 during the interview with Dr. Philip Nizza. 

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In April of 2022, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) graciously invited the D.O. or Do Not Podcast to attend their national meeting, the “Educating Leaders” conference, in Denver, Colorado. Our two producers, Lerone Cark, MS-II at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Brooke Pillegi, MS-II at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as Ben Berg, our premedical student liaison, attended the conference to continue our mission of promoting awareness of osteopathic medicine by interviewing leaders in the field.

We would like to thank Dr. Robert Cain, president of AACOM, Joseph Shapiro, director of media relations, and Helene Cameron, vice president of medical education services for having us at the conference and supporting the podcast. We had an amazing experience and would recommend the conference to any medical or premedical students interested in learning more about the inner workings of osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education.

Today on the D.O. or Do Not podcast, we have Dr. Sharon Gustowski, the chair of the Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practices (OPP) at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. For those unfamiliar, D.O.’s treatment modalities are similar to our M.D. counterparts, with OPP being one of the main factors that makes osteopathic physicians unique by giving us another “tool in the tool belt” with hands-on musculoskeletal treatment.

In this episode, Dr. Gustowski discusses both her clinical practice, which focuses on manual therapy for children, as well as her role as a professor of OPP in Texas. She will further share her views on how new osteopathic students engage with the philosophies and techniques of osteopathic manipulative medicine, and why these techniques and philosophies bring value to all osteopathic students, regardless of what specialty they pursue.

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Today on D.O. or Do Not, we interview Dr. Matthew Mené. After our discussion with professional comedian David Siegel in episode 66, we thought it would be interesting to speak with a D.O. urologist about what “really goes on” with a physician when a male has issues with infertility. Dr. Mené will speak about his journey into osteopathic medicine starting with a seven-year program, how he became interested in urology, and how hard work and dedication earned him the opportunity to train in Philadelphia in a competitive surgical subspecialty. He will comment on the ACGME merger and how it has made obtaining a urology residency more difficult for D.O. students. For medical students and residents interested in osteopathic school and urology residency, we would recommend more research into this; although Dr. Mené's comments may be true, we do not have data to support or refute them. 

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Joining us today in this episode of D.O. or Do Not is Dr. Natasha Bray, Interim Dean at the Oklahoma State University College of Medicine (OSUCOM) at the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Dr. Bray earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from OSUCOM and completed her internship as a chief intern physician at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then went on to complete her internal medicine residency at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard-affiliated teaching hospital. Board-certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine, Dr. Bray has dedicated herself and her career to using medical education as a means to serve the most vulnerable of populations. In this episode, Dr. Bray delves into OSUCOM's background and discusses the unique aspects of the school, including its status as the only tribally affiliated medical school in the nation.

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In April of 2022, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) graciously invited the D.O. or Do Not Podcast to attend their national meeting, the “Educating Leaders” conference, in Denver, Colorado. Our two producers, Lerone Cark, MS-II at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Brooke Pillegi, MS-II at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as Ben Berg, our premedical student liaison, attended the conference to continue our mission of promoting awareness of osteopathic medicine by interviewing leaders in the field.

We would like to thank Dr. Robert Cain, president of AACOM, Joseph Shapiro, director of media relations, and Helene Cameron, vice president of medical education services for having us at the conference and supporting the podcast. We had an amazing experience and would recommend the conference to any medical or pre-medical students interested in learning more about the inner workings of osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education.

In this episode of D.O. or Do Not, we have Dr. Joel Dickerman, the current dean of the newly established Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, the first osteopathic school in Kansas. Dr. Dickerman will discuss the new campus in the city of Wichita and what makes the school special, including innovations in education, a virtual anatomy lab, and a team-based approach to learning. He discusses some of the benefits to students looking for population management and in-person experiences that they may not get elsewhere. He explains the pros of attending a new school and helping to shape the future of the educational experience. He also talks about the diverse clinical opportunities that are open to students while in Kansas. Dr. Dickerman shares his unique journey and how being treated by an osteopathic physician while in high school changed his trajectory from becoming a teacher to an osteopathic physician and finally coming full circle as a dean of an osteopathic medical school. 

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Welcome to the D.O. or DO Not Podcast. My name is Ben Berg, a “nontraditional" premedical student who graduated from Albany University and is now doing postgraduate work at Hunter College in New York to get ready to apply to osteopathic schools for the 2023 application cycle. I was lucky enough to attend AACOMs “Educating Leaders 2022” conference in Denver, Colorado.  Attending the conference afforded me an incredible week of lectures and networking. It was a great experience that I would recommend to any premedical student. Attending the conference as a representative of the podcast provided me with an incredible opportunity to be surrounded by great osteopathic physicians as well as administrators. Speaking for myself, this experience truly affirmed my desire to become an osteopathic physician.

In this episode of D.O. or Do Not, we have Janette Martin, M.Ed., Director of Admissions at Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM). She gives some insight as to what makes ICOM special, including its wide range of clinical sites spreading across Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and New York. For our premedical audience, Dr. Martin gives helpful advice regarding applying to medical schools and how to help your application stand out to admission committees. She touches on personal statements, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses, as well as advice for nontraditional applicants.

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In April of 2022, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) graciously invited the D.O. or Do Not Podcast to attend their national meeting, the “Educating Leaders” conference, in Denver, Colorado. Our two producers, Lerone Cark, MS-II at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Brooke Pillegi, MS-II at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as Ben Berg, our premedical student liaison, attended the conference to continue our mission of promoting awareness of osteopathic medicine by interviewing leaders in the field.

We would like to thank Dr. Robert Cain, president of AACOM, Joseph Shapiro, director of media relations, and Helene Cameron, vice president of medical education services for having us at the conference and supporting the podcast. We had an amazing experience and would recommend the conference to any medical or pre-medical students interested in learning more about the inner workings of osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education.

In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Laurie Curtin, the chief research and policy officer of the NRMP. Dr. Curtin received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Houston. With over 10 years of experience at the NRMP, Dr. Curtin has helped to usher in some of the most substantial changes made to the match process, including the recent unification of D.O. and M.D. matches. In this episode, Dr. Curtin provides listeners, both premedical and medical students, with valuable information about navigating the match and what to expect during the culmination of a medical student's education. We are extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview her and hope you enjoy this episode.

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In April of 2022, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) graciously invited the D.O. or Do Not Podcast to attend their national meeting, the “Educating Leaders” conference, in Denver, Colorado. Our two producers, Lerone Cark, MS-II at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Brooke Pillegi, MS-II at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as Ben Berg, our premedical student liaison, attended the conference to continue our mission of promoting awareness of osteopathic medicine by interviewing leaders in the field.

We would like to thank Dr. Robert Cain, president of AACOM, Joseph Shapiro, director of media relations, and Helene Cameron, vice president of medical education services for having us at the conference and supporting the podcast. We had an amazing experience and would recommend the conference to any medical or pre-medical students interested in learning more about the inner workings of osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education.

In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Sami Nandyal, a recent medical school graduate from Ohio University at Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens, Ohio. She won Student Doctor of the Year this year at the AACOM conference and is currently preparing to start her family medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Nandyal talks about her experiences in medical school and why she has such a strong passion for family medicine, her experience with board exams, and her involvement with her community. She also gives great information and advice to medical students and premedical students alike. We hope you enjoy this episode. 

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In today’s episode, we interview Dr. Philip Nizza, D.O., a board-certified infectious disease physician. Dr. Nizza went to medical school at NYITCOM, followed by a three-year internal medicine residency at North Shore University Hospital and ultimately a two-year infectious disease fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, arguably the most prestigious cancer center in the world. Dr. Nizza discusses with us his responsibilities as an ID physician as well as how his D.O. degree shaped his experience and perspective on medicine and patient care.

Dr. Nizza goes on to share with us how he met his wife, Dr. Natalie Assalone, during medical school at NYITCOM and how they built their life together through residency and raising children in a “two-physician household.” He ultimately relates Natalie’s battle with a rare type of cancer and her tragic death. He touches on the unique experience of love and loss made more difficult through the lens of a skilled physician.

This episode touches on heavy topics and difficult experiences that many of us do not expect to encounter in our lives. However, Dr. Nizza’s story is an inspiring one and teaches us the many valuable lessons he has learned despite the hardships he has faced.

Dr. Nizza and his family have created the Natalie Assalone Nizza Memorial Award in her honor, which gives $5,000 annually to a graduating student who demonstrates dedication as a parent while simultaneously balancing their passion for medicine.

Last year, the award was given to Dr. Larysa Aheyeva, who grew up in Belarus and moved to America to better her daughter's life. She is training to become an OB/GYN.

This year, the award went to Dr. Yisroel Grabie, a father of three who matched at Staten Island Hospital for internal medicine.

Dr. Nizza has asked that anyone moved by Natalie’s story consider a donation, no matter how large or small, to the scholarship fund. Donations can be made through the NYIT.edu website by clicking in the right upper quadrant on the “give” icon, choosing "other," and typing in "Nizza Memorial." You can also use the following link https://alumni.nyit.edu/giving/nyitcom and then select Natalie Assalone Scholarship from the dropdown menu.

We hope you are moved by this episode.