OSTEOPATHIC BOARD CERTIFICATION

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About the program

AOBFP’s Resident Ambassador Program is designed to strengthen the relationship between the AOBFP and family medicine residency programs, nurture family medicine and AOBFP champions, and enhance communications. Family medicine residents provide the voice of our specialty’s future.

The AOBFP appreciates and encourages input from physicians in training, and created the Resident Ambassador Program to assist the AOBFP by providing a resident’s perspective with certain AOBFP activities, such as communication about the In-Service Examinations (ISEs), applying for certification (Early Entry, Initial and OMT Certification) and the AOBFP website. We are looking for family medicine residents enrolled in a recognized osteopathic program willing to serve a two-year term. Each program will have at least one resident ambassador.

Expectations of ambassadors

  • Currently enrolled as an osteopathic family medicine program resident
  • Ability to serve a two-year term
  • Participate in two virtual meetings annually
  • Assist AOBFP leadership in promoting the value of AOBFP certification to fellow residents and students through informative webinars, newsletter articles, emails and social media posts

Nominee criteria

  • Family medicine resident, PGY-2 and above at the start of their term
  • Desired attributes include:
    • Strong people skills and professionalism
    • Timeliness, ability to follow direction
    • Team skills, ability to compromise
    • Agreeable to AOA’s conflict of interest, confidentiality and volunteer policies

Nomination process 

  • Resident’s program director completes a nomination form
  • AOBFP reviews nominations on a rolling basis
  • AOBFP selects resident ambassadors from among nominees

If you have a resident in mind who would be a great fit for this role, please complete the nomination form and return it to AOBFP Director, Deb Dupnik, CAE, CCSM-A, at [email protected].

Program goals

  • Promote awareness: Increase understanding of board certification benefits among residents.
  • Encourage engagement: Motivate residents to pursue board certification.
  • Provide resources: Offer educational materials and support for the certification process.
  • Build community: Foster a network of ambassadors and interested residents to create a culture around board certification

Current ambassadors

AOBFP Resident Ambassadors
James Trenton Griner, DO
Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Clinic
Rome, Georgia
Harrison Eckert, DO
Beebe Healthcare Family Medicine Residency
Lewes, Delaware
Sheela Anasseri, DO
Broward Health Family Medicine Residency Program
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nicole Kushner, DO
Christiana Care Family Medicine Residency Program
Wilmington, Delaware
Kendal Schaetzle, DO
Christiana Care Family Medicine Residency Program
Wilmington, Delaware
Daniel George Paglia, DO
Corewell Health Beaumont Family Medicine Residency, Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Samantha LaCross, DO
Corewell Health Beaumont Family Medicine Residency, Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills, Michigan
K. Connor Ogden, DO
Dignity Health East Valley Family Medicine Residency
Gilbert, Arizona
Andrew Joseph Fernandez, DO
Doctors Hospital Family Medicine
Grove City, Ohio
Farrah Sitto, DO
Henry Ford Macomb Family Medicine Residency
Clinton Township, Michigan
Alexandra B. Nelson, DO
Mayo Clinic La Crosse Family Medicine Residency
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Mitchell Nichols, DO
Medical College of Georgia Department of Family and Community Medicine
Augusta, Georgia
Ryan Craig, DO
Methodist Charlton Family Medicine Center
Dallas, Texas
Rachna Tomar, DO
North Side Family Medicine Residency Program
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Emma Berry, DO
OMECO/Cherokee Nation Family Medicine Residency Program
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Amanda Labib, DO
Overlook Family Medicine Residency Program
Summit, New Jersey
Diana Zheng, DO
St. Luke’s University Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program
Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania
Emily Justus, DO
Summa Health Family Medicine Residency Program
Akron, Ohio
Kalyric Cartagena, DO
University of Alabama at Birmingham St. Vincent’s East Family Medicine Residency
Birmingham, Alabama
Alexis Ousley, DO
University of Kentucky (Morehead) Rural Family Medicine Program
Morehead, Kentucky
Chelsea Toner, DO
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Williamsport Family Medicine Residency
Williamsport, Pennsylvania