December 2024: Osteopathic Medicine Month

WHEREAS, the osteopathic medical profession, which provides full-spectrum care for millions of patients, represents a critical component of the nation's health care system, with Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) practicing a whole-person approach to medicine; and,

WHEREAS, the Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA), established in 1898 with a commitment to the promotion of quality patient care, marks 150 years of osteopathic medicine in 2024; and,

WHEREAS, more than 197,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students across the country carry on the legacy of frontier physician Andrew Taylor Still, DO, who founded the innovative tenets of osteopathic medicine; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan holds the distinction of having one of the strongest presences of osteopathic medicine in the country, with 8,900 osteopathic physicians in the state; and,

WHEREAS, the osteopathic medicine community in Michigan and the MOA have continually advocated for investing in and strengthening medical education, as evidenced by its work throughout the 1960s to establish a College of Osteopathic Medicine; and,

WHEREAS, the MOA today continues to have a strong connection with the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), where more than 300 osteopathic students graduate each year, with the distinction that more than two-thirds of MSUCOM graduates stay in Michigan to practice patient-centered care in almost all of the state's 83 counties; and,

WHEREAS, we recognize the many exceptional individuals within the osteopathic profession, including medical students, residents, physicians, and researchers, who are working to increase the health and well-being of Michiganders across our state;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim December 2024 as Osteopathic Medicine Month in Michigan.