Dear ACOOG members,

     I am deeply honored to address you as your newly elected President.  This is the greatest honor of my professional career and yet such a humbling experience as the 69th President of such a prestigious college.  I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity, and would like to thank those who have come before me to set the stage for my presidential year.  As your new President, I stand on the shoulders of giants who have come before me. 

    I would especially like to thank our immediate past president, Dr. Jeff Postlewaite, for his commitment to our organization.  Under his leadership and guidance this past year we have gained understanding, awareness, and direction on the Osteopathic Continuing Certification process which will address the professional ideals of our members and the patients we serve. I would also like to extend my congratulations to all the new Fellows of ACOOG!  You are embarking on a new and exciting road of professional achievements – be proud of your osteopathic heritage, as you are the most comprehensive skilled physician.  As a New Fellow, you must recognize your duty to outwardly demonstrate your professional integrity, strong skill sets and leadership qualities that this college and your osteopathic profession have carefully cultivated within you.   

    I would additionally like to thank some very special people who helped me reach my goals of professional leadership to make a difference in this world.  My mentors that have helped me along my path:  Paul Krueger, DO - A fellow Des Moines University alumnus who gave me direction and the “big push” to get involved in ACOOG – thank you for your mentorship! Joe Kaczmarczyk, DO – “Dr. Reality” who always provided friendship and grounded advice- – thank you for your support!  ACOOG Staff:  Steve Buchanan, DO – The Visionary for ACOOG – I look forward to working together with Steve to achieve our common goal of GREATNESS for ACOOG!   To Valerie, Helen, Sherry, Maria, and Jenny through their tireless efforts, our College runs very efficiently.  And to all the members of ACOOG – Thank you for your vote of confidence that I will lead you in the right direction over this next year.  

    I would also like to thank my parents:  Who through their own sacrifice and vision, raised eight children to “be the best they can be” and to “make a difference in this world”.  My father’s life motto has always been “You can achieve anything that you believe you can achieve”.  My mother, who has left this world, but has significantly, influenced my life; provided love, encouragement, and spirituality.   Her dedication and service to her family and community was beyond reproach.  Her life was a true testament of her faith and a celebration of living for the good in others. Thank you to my entire Hubka and Dunkas families. I appreciate your love and support!   To my beautiful children, Nikko and Yanni, who are my little loves, who are a true admiration of experiencing life well lived to the fullest!  Thank you all for putting up with my absenteeism, my opinions on health, my busy life, and supporting my continual aspirations and commitment to my profession!!!  And most of all, to my loving husband, John Dunkas, who not only lets me be who I am, but always paves the way so that I can be the best I can be.  He is the ultimate husband, father, business partner, and friend – more than I deserve.  I love you so much - Your support and presence in my life has made me whole – you are my constant!!

 Presidential Theme

 LEADING THE CHARGE IN WOMEN’S HEALTH WITH THE OSTEOPATHIC  

       T – Team Together

      O – Osteopathic Identity

      U – Unified Strategy        

      C – Collaborative Communication

      H – Heart…and Healing Hands

       I have a vision…one that places ACOOG as the unified premier society leading the charge in women’s health with the osteopathic touch.  Together as one strong college, we can make a difference one person at a time and Be the Best We Can Be to provide quality healthcare to women.

Team Together

Teaming together starts with us, your college, your board of trustees, your working committees, and the staff. 

    Other members of the team include our affiliated organizations and family: American Osteopathic Association, ACOG, our examining boards (AOBOG, ABOG), our educational training institutions (CREOG, APGO), and more, the entire family of individuals working together for women’s health and the promotion of the osteopathic profession.  Each one of us needs to identify as being a member of this team…a member of this family.

ACOOG Core Values:

    Integrity

         Treating each person with respect and dignity

          Maintaining values

          Demonstrating responsibility and  honest

    Commitment

          Excellence in women’s health

          Osteopathic education

          Improving organization

          Developing future vision

    Excellence

          Innovative relevant educational programs

          Service to members, patients, and public

          Fellowship, communication and teamwork

          Team Together

     Your ACOOG family’s, core values listed above provide you with a balanced foundation of Integrity, support you with Commitment, and encourage Excellence in your profession.  These Core Values hold us together in our vision to lead the charge in Women’s health!

Osteopathic Identity

    As Osteopathic physicians first, we must be true to our roots by pursuing the future while preserving and remembering our past.  We must re-establish our distinctive osteopathic identity and rekindle our pride in our profession.  We have a unique gift of our healing hands to share with our patients; patients who are seeking this healing touch and want a change in our current health care system.  They are seeking the Osteopathic Touch that only we can provide!!

Osteopathic Oath

    I do hereby affirm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter. I will be mindful always of my great responsibility to preserve the health and the life of my patients, to retain their confidence and respect both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always nature’s laws and the body’s inherent capacity for recovery. I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices. I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college I will be loyal and strive always for its best interests and for the interests of the students who will come after me. I will be ever alert to further the application of basic biologic truths to the healing arts and to develop the principles of osteopathy which were first enunciated by Andrew Taylor Still

Osteopathic Identity

    Each of us matriculated and graduated from an Osteopathic College / University – each school in and of itself is very unique yet, we each stand together with a strong bond and common thread – our Osteopathic Oath.   This oath, initiated on our graduation, was the beginning of our life-long commitment to our profession and our patients.  With the investiture of our oath and the ability to carry the title of Doctor of Osteopathic medicine comes responsibility…Responsibility to carry our title with pride to the public our patients and to practice our expertise of Osteopathic medicine.  We must be loyal, be ever alert to further the basic truths to the healing arts.  We must embody the principles of osteopathy on behalf of our patients, for our patients.  Remember the basic tenets of our Osteopathic Oath…be loyal to our profession, practice our skill, and remember the body’s inherent ability to heal itself.

Osteopathic Pledge of Commitment

    I pledge to:

        • Provide compassionate quality care to my patients;

        • Partner with them to promote health;

        • Display integrity and  professionalism throughout my career;

        • Advance the philosophy, practice and science of osteopathic medicine;

        • Continue lifelong learning;

        • Support my profession with loyalty in action, word and deed; and

        • Live each day as an example of what an Osteopathic physician should be.

Osteopathic Identity

    As time progressed, the osteopathic oath has been updated to a pledge of commitment.  To this day, ACOOG, and every other osteopathic organization, opens their organizational meetings with a reaffirmation of our osteopathic heritage.  We Pledge our commitment!

Challenges:

    • Effects of healthcare reform

        - Patient Quality of Care and Affordable Care Act

    • Increased regulation, reduced payments

    • Formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s)

    • Demand for higher GME performance - reduced funding; reallocation 

       of residency slots; limited work hours

    • Projected physician shortage with increase in aging patient population

Challenges

    We are now facing challenges on many fronts:

    • Potential effects of healthcare reform – Patient Quality of Care and Affordable

      Care Act,

    • Increased regulation in the practice of medicine with reduced payments,

    • Formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s),

    • Demand for higher level of GME performance in the midst of reduced

      governmental funding, reallocation of residency slots and limited work hours,

    • Projected physician shortage with increased patient population and

      extended patient need for care.

Now more than ever we have the need to recognize and promote our distinct Osteopathic profession!  We need to look for creative solutions to not only support what we are, but promote what we can DO for our patients and expand into these challenging areas of need.

Unified Strategy

    In order to be part of the solution to the issues facing us in health care delivery today, we must have a unified strategy to rise to the challenges and create opportunities.  We need to adopt the Best Practice of Ob/Gyn.  Our first action will be to:

    • ENACT the new bylaws changes

    • EMPOWER the Board of Trustees

    • ENCOURAGE active committee participation

    • ESTABLISH a strong communication network so that members stay informed

      and get actively involved in their profession.

    Now is the time…You must be engaged with your profession by being an active and participatory member of ACOOG.  Your membership provides you with access to resources and information to tackle the challenges in health care.  To be a part of the charge in women’s health care with the Osteopathic Touch!

Collaborative Communications

    This marks an exciting time for women’s health care and graduate medical education.  Considering these challenges, we can ensure that our organization remains relevant.  One way is for each of us to remain involved in the process: Collaborate, Communicate, and Contribute to the success of our osteopathic profession for women’s health.  Help members find resources to work more efficiently and effectively

Work diligently with the certifying Boards for Osteopathic Continuing Certification (Maintenance of Licensure).  Support physician’s commitment to Life Long Learning and Best Practices.  Provide transparency while assuring patient privacy protection.  Be a part of the Charge in Women’s Health!

Heart…Healing Hands

    And finally Heart…Healing Hands. We as physicians have a strong commitment and concern for human welfare and dignity.  By Heart I mean Passion!  Give your all to your patients, to your osteopathic profession, and to your professional specialty society - ACOOG. 

    Use your Healing Hands!  Be the Osteopathic physician – the Osteopathic Obstetrician/Gynecologist that you were meant to be!! Believe in the Osteopathic commitment to the continuum of quality education and delivery of excellence in health care to assure the health of our future and the future of our patients.  Be the best that you can be.  Live it, breathe it, and BE it.

Experience excellence - one of our core values!  Build excellence with a strong commitment and foundation of Heart, passion, soul and Healing Hands.  Come join me in leading the Charge in Women’s Health with the Osteopathic TOUCH!!

Serenity Prayer

    God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference

Heart…Healing Hands

I have a passion to make this organization the best that it can be.

I want to positively impact the world -- to leave it a better place than when I came.

I find wisdom in this prayer because it reminds me to accept the things I cannot change. 

It helps me to have patience and remain grounded.

But it also reminds me to garner the courage to move forward with the things that I CAN change!

Together we as Osteopathic physicians can make a difference. - A difference for our patients and our profession.

 LEADING THE CHARGE IN WOMEN’S HEALTH WITH THE OSTEOPATHIC

       T – Team Together

      O – Osteopathic Identity

      U – Unified Strategy     

      C – Collaborative Communication

      H – Heart…and

Healing Hands

Sincerely,

Teresa Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist.)