The schools are now open and, therefore, many of us are lamenting the end of summer. I hope that you enjoyed your time with family and friends in the warm sunshine and blue skies that we were blessed with for most of the summer (...as I write these words in 70° temperatures with swollen grey clouds overhead)!

My report from the AOA House of Delegates meeting is full of renewed optimism for the AOA and our Academy. I went in with some angst and pessimism about the future for the AOA, and came out not just hopeful but also crossing the border into optimistic. The AOA leadership and delegates not only spoke in favor of osteopathic distinctiveness and the importance of that distinctiveness but also laid out clear and verifiable steps to ensure that our future will continue to focus on what makes our osteopathic approach unique and valuable. Passed resolutions included H-220: AOA Specialty Board Certification, in which there was initially a suggested reduction in OPP in specialty board certification at the AOA mid-year meeting, but which was later amended after strong support from state and specialty colleges to reaffirm the need for OPP in all board certification exams. We are also continuing to work with the AOA representatives in coordination with the ACGME to see if we can do anything further to maintain the NMM-SM track after July 2020. The AOASM had representatives in both specialty and state society roles, and Dr. Dougherty served as a Committee member for the Ad Hoc Review Committee. The AOASM looks forward to its future collaboration under Dr. Ronald Burns (President, AOA) and Dr. Kevin Klauer (CEO, AOA) toward our mutual goals and benefits.

It’s a pleasure to welcome back two established members for another three-year term to the AOASM Board of Directors, Drs. Kate Quinn and Warren Bodine, as well as welcome a new member to our Board of Directors, Dr. Mark Rogers. This year’s pool of nominees was quite long and full of well-respected and caring sports medicine physicians, and thereby portends a great future for our Academy! 

Also, I wish to direct you to a special section in our Sidelines newsletter this month to the work being done by Rebeccah Rodriguez-Regner, DO, FACOFP, and others this summer at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru!

Finally, it’s with regret that I inform you of the passing of a strong osteopathic colleague within our AOASM ranks. Stephen Goldman, DO, FAAO, FAOASM, was a great colleague, and while I learned much from him over the years, there was nothing so much as an appreciation for his warm and caring humility. For those of you who didn’t have the benefit of knowing him, he was a paradigm of an osteopathic sports medicine physician to me, and I encourage you to read the two wonderful pieces the AAO had in their newsletter earlier this month to gain an insight into what we have lost. He’s out of our sight now, but his light shines in those he taught.

Written By Becca Rodriguez Regner, DO, FACOFP

Many of our AOASM members have been given the honor of serving Team USA Olympic athletes. The United States topped the medal count with 120 gold and 293 overall medals, our best result in the 21st century. AOASM wants to congratulate and recognize these physicians for their time, dedication, and hard work in helping Team USA athletes be at their best. They have provided safe and quality care for many years to these athletes, and we are proud to have them represent osteopathic sports medicine and the AOASM. It is truly a special and one-of-a-kind experience and privilege to serve in this role.  

while many of the athletes and coaches were out there living their dream, they were also allowing me to live out mine, and I cannot thank them enough for that. Watching our team dominate, win with class, and hearing the Star Spangled Banner play when our athletes won gold was beyond moving to me. I was also proud to represent DOs and the AOASM, and my approach to the athletes and ability to perform OMT on them was very well-received. Fifteen of our 17 competing athletes medaled, and EVERY one of our athletes on whom I performed pre-competition OMT medaled! Coincidence?! Also, my shoes had the honor of receiving a gold medal, as Tamyra Mensah-Stock forgot her pair, so she wore mine while standing on the podium! GO TEAM USA and GO TEAM AOASM!!!

USA Rugby

Written By Alexandra Myers, DO

I had an amazing time in Peru. I worked with the USA Rugby Sevens Women's and Men's teams. We arrived in Lima about a week before the tournament for training. I was able to work with the staff at the stadium, Villa Maria del Triunfo, to prepare the emergency action plan. We did on-field training, and everyone had a true team spirit.

Our teams did well. We had back-to-back concussions at one point, which was hectic.

What's interesting is that the athlete that lost consciousness had very few symptoms, yet the one that had no LOC had many persistent symptoms. It just goes to show that concussions are a mystery!

Other than that, we had several small injuries. I learned that the most important part of my presence was to coordinate care with not only the athletic trainer on site, but also with the athletic trainers and physicians in their home states. It was hard to get everything wrapped up when we suddenly left Lima!

It was so awesome to coordinate with doctors from all over the Americas!

USA Men's Water Polo

Written By Naresh Rao, DO, FAOASM

Having served as a team physician for USA Water Polo for 10 years, it never ceases to amaze me how I continue to feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to serve our team as an osteopathic primary care sports medicine physician. Being on-call 24/7

for the team in Lima, ensuring the health and safety of the team, athletes, and staff included, as well as assisting the USOPC medical staff when necessary, allows me to contribute to Team USA's overall success that is consistent with my mission in life: perform at the highest that one is meant to perform without incurring harm. Fortunately, the men's water polo that I covered won the gold medal at the PanAm Games, which qualified the team for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The knowledge and wisdom I gained through interacting with other medical providers, athletic trainers, dietitians, and strength and conditioning coaches enriches my osteopathic primary care sports medicine acumen and, therefore, directly enhances my ability to care for patients in my practice.  

Dr. Ariel Nassim

USOPC Team Physician

For three weeks in July through August, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM - 2012) graduate, Ariel Nassim, DO, traveled to Lima, Peru, for the 2019 Pan American Games. Dr. Nassim was brought to the games by the Unites States Olympic Committee (USOC) to serve as a physician for Team USA. In his role as Team Physician, he served alongside Chief Medical Officer, David Weinstein, MD, and Medical Director, Dustin Nabhan, DC, as well as orthopedic and primary care sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. The collaborative team included AOASM Vice President, Becca Rodriguez Regner, DO, FAOASM, as well as several other osteopathic physicians serving as physicians for individual NGBs. This multi-specialty group of individuals collaborated to bring the highest level of care to over 600 Team USA athletes. Team USA earned a total of 293 medals, as well as earning 18 quota spots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Dr. Becca Rodriguez Regner

USOPC Team Physician

An experience of friendship, teamwork, joy, and giving 100% whole-hearted support to athletes describes my time at the Games. For a team physician, serving the USOPC in the Village is a dream come true but also very humbling. My service included connecting NGB team physicians to USA’s sports medicine clinic and helping with coordination of care in the clinic for all teams and care needed at the Polyclinic such as labs, x-rays, and other treatments. I was able to witness

for the first time the dorm life, eating in a cafeteria daily, and experiencing how athletes live for two to three weeks at a time in a well-thought-out type of village. The USOPC clinic hours to support athletes, staff, and NGB’s were from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. with on-call duties for physicians. A true community unfolded of collegial cheers, smiles, bonding, trading pins, and sharing of a unique experience only few people get to witness. 

The country of Peru was beautiful in its support, design, and creation of welcoming those from all around the wold. The Peruvian medical staff in the Polyclinic in the Village were amazing, friendly, collaborative, and worked as a team to help provide quality care to all athletes. Hearing the Spanish language spoken by the majority of the people in the Village and hearing different dialects was a wonderful experience. Each person from the USA delegation that was encountered was energetic, kind, helpful, and respectful, and came together quickly as a sports family to represent our country. I am proud to serve the athletes of Team USA and will hold these Games and its memories near to my heart. It is special and interesting to be also a public health advocate for our athletes. I am thankful to my mom, dad, husband, and baby for their support in allowing me to help support Team USA athletes. 

The Senior National Team won their third straight World Championship and the Women's Beach Water Polo Team took first place at the first-ever beach water polo event at the world championships.

The first picture shows Seth Schmoll, DO (far left), with the Senior National Team, and the next two photos are of Angela Cavanna, DO, FAOASM (center), and Seth Schmoll, DO (far left), with the Women's Beach Team. The third photo shows the women's Beach Team accepting their first place certificates. (No medals were given out for the beach division as it was an exhibition event.)

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the envelope from AOASM in my mail, and when I looked at the amount, I was floored! Over $2300- Wow!! I definitely was not expecting that much to be donated to our family’s 501c3 nonprofit, Team Vienna 4 SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood) Awareness, Inc., from the fun run/walk during this year’s Annual Clinical Conference in Austin, Texas. Thank you for joining our mission of SUDC awareness and research support, in honor of my sweet daughter, Vienna. As you know, SUDC is scarcely known in the medical community, which is why this is so important to make a difference. My family and I are sincerely grateful for the time and effort everyone put into the event and for those who donated, bought shirts, and participated. Because of everyone’s efforts, it was a wonderful success, and Team Vienna’s mission will continue!

In addition, all the hugs and condolences were greatly appreciated as I navigate through my own grief journey, forever coping with the loss of my healthy little girl. Thank you for remembering my darling Vienna, who was on this beautiful earth for less than three years, and please continue to share her story to help other families. No doubt, I felt the love from my sports medicine family, especially that day. 

Thank you so much! 

See you in California next year!

Heartbroken but surviving, 

Dr. Denise Wunderler and family 

Holmdel, NJ

TeamViennaSUDC.org