Membership Benefits

Training to be an osteopathic ophthalmologist/otolaryngologist takes time, intelligence and untiring commitment; the practice of these specialties demands the same qualities.  Membership in the AOCOO-HNS will enable you to build on what you have worked so hard to achieve.  The College’s member services are designed to help you meet the challenges that arise in the day-to-day delivery of quality patient care.

Continuing Medical Education

The AOCOO-HNS offers continuing medical education programs to provide members with opportunities to learn about the latest medical and surgical techniques, and to discuss them with colleagues.  The College is an AOA-accredited CME provider and offers the following continuing medical education programs:

Member Networks

The AOCOO-HNS offers its members formal and informal opportunities to develop valuable professional relationships with their colleagues by participating in the Council of Regional Representatives (CRR) and Council of Residents and Fellows (CRF).  Your Councils may be an important source of information about trends that are impacting the osteopathic profession.

Communications

Assistance with Denial of Medical Staff Privileges Based on Osteopathic Training

The AOCOO-HNS encourages all osteopathic ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists that are having problems obtaining staff privileges to contact our office. The College is prepared to guide those individuals in (a) obtaining proper responses, and (b) in recommending legal counsel.

Resident and Student Forums

Fellowship Designation

The title of Fellow of the American Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology or the American Osteopathic College of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery represents the recognition of a member’s devotion to the advancement of Osteopathic Medicine and professional proficiency, unusual merit and skills in the practice of either Ophthalmology or Otolaryngology or Otolaryngology/Facial Plastic Surgery.

Eligibility Requirements:  A candidate must be an active member in good-standing with the AOCOO-HNS, certified by the American Osteopathic Boards of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and have attended three Annual Clinical Assembly meetings of the AOCOO-HNS following board certification.  The three meetings need not be in consecutive order.  After the third Annual Clinical Assembly meeting following certification, the candidate must complete and return the Fellow application request to the Executive Vice President of the AOCOO-HNS for action by the Board of Governors.  Upon completion of that process, the Executive Vice President will notify each applicant in writing that the certificate conferring Fellow status will be awarded by the Board at the next Annual Clinical Assembly during the Award Ceremony.  All prospective candidates must be present at the Award Ceremony to receive the official certificate and to be formally inducted into the College as a Fellow.

Click here to access AOCOO-HNS’s Fellowship application.

Member Awards

The Special Board of Governor Award is the highest personal award given by the Board of Governors for exceptionally meritorious service to the College in a series of duties of great responsibility.

Eligibility Requirements:  Member of the College in good-standing with the AOCOO-HNS; demonstrated sustained superior performance characterized by outstanding achievement and distinguished service to the College(s) and have been a member of the College(s) for at least twenty-five (25) years accumulating no less than ninety (90) points and serving a minimum of nine (9) years service on either one of the Boards or a combined service on both Boards along with having been President of the College or the Board; attendance of at least three (3) out of the last five (5) Annual Clinical Assemblies. In addition, the individual must have demonstrated that they embody in their deeds and actions the spirit and character of the AOCOO-HNS.  The candidate must be recommended to the Board of Governors for the award.  Award points accumulated will not include points for any awards previously received.  The Special Board of Governor honoree is nominated by the Executive Committee of the Board, approved by the Board of Governors, and given to no more than two (2) honorees per year, per specialty.

The Distinguished Service Award is bestowed by the Board of Governors for exceptionally meritorious service in a position of major responsibility in the College or Certifying Board.

Eligibility Requirements:  Member of the College in good-standing with the AOCOO-HNS; duty involving either the Board of Governors or the Board of Examiners for a minimum combined period of six (6) years and have been a member of the College(s) for at least fifteen (15) years; attendance of at least three (3) out of the last five (5) Annual Clinical Assemblies. In addition, the individual must have demonstrated that they embody in their deeds and actions the spirit and character of the AOCOO-HNS.  The candidate must have accumulated a total of sixty-five (65) points.  Award points accumulated will not include points for any awards previously received.  The Distinguished Service Award honoree is nominated by the Executive Committee of the Board, approved by the Board of Governors, and given to no more than two (2) honorees per year, per specialty.

The Governors Achievement Certificate is given by the Board of Governors to members of the College who have distinguished themselves by a greater level of accomplishment or service than that required for the Presidential Achievement Award.

Eligibility Requirements:  Member of the College in good-standing with the AOCOO-HNS; demonstrated meritorious achievement or service to the College or Board of Examiners (examples of activities of merit for this level of award include founding a residency training program and serving as a program director for graduate medical education); attendance of at least three (3) out of the last five (5) Annual Clinical Assemblies. In addition, the individual must have demonstrated that they embody in their deeds and actions the spirit and character of the AOCOO-HNS.  Thirty-five (35) points are required for the award. Award points accumulated will not include points for any awards previously received.

The Presidential Achievement Certificate is given by the President of each College to members of that College in recognition of noteworthy professional achievement or other valuable service performed on behalf of the College or Board of Examiners.

Eligibility Requirements:  Member of the College in good-standing with the AOCOO-HNS; demonstrated professional achievement of a superlative nature such as publishing a clinical or scientific paper in a national medical journal, delivering an outstanding lecture at the Annual Clinical Assembly, or providing valuable assistance for a project on behalf of the College or Board of Examiners such as preparing questions for the certification examination or developing a scientific exhibit for the Annual Clinical Assembly.  The candidate must achieve fifteen (15) points and be nominated for the award by a member of the College, or at the discretion of the current President and approved by the Executive Committee.

The Presidential Resident Recognition Certificate is given by the President of each College to residents of that College in recognition of professional achievement or other valuable service performed on behalf of the Residency Training Program, College Board or Board of Examiners.

Eligibility Requirements:  Resident member in good-standing with the AOCOO-HNS and residency training program as may be appropriate; demonstrated professional achievement of a superlative nature such as participating with the Board of Governors or College Board as a resident representative, publishing a clinical or scientific paper in a national medical journal, delivering an outstanding lecture at the Annual Clinical Assembly, or providing valuable assistance for a project on behalf of the College or Board of Examiners such as preparing questions for the certification examination or developing a scientific exhibit for the Annual Clinical Assembly.

The Patrick Murray Award is an annual monetary award given to the highest scoring resident in the annual OKAP examination in Ophthalmology and in the annual resident in-service proficiency examination in Otolaryngology.  In the event of a tie between two residents in the same specialty, the award money will be divided evenly.  The two first place award finalists will receive $750 each; the two second place award finalists will receive $600 each; the two third place award finalists will receive $500 each (Rev. 10/28/01).

Eligibility Requirements: Resident member in approved Ophthalmology or Otolaryngology or Otolaryngology/ Facial Plastic Surgery training program.  The resident must submit his or her score on the resident’s training examination to the AOCOO-HNS Office.  A resident must achieve a minimum of 50% on the examination.  A resident must be current and up-to-date with the year-end residency reporting requirement (a resident who is not previous years approved by the Council of Medical Education is not eligible for this award).  A resident may receive the award more than one time and does not need to be present at the Annual Clinical Assembly to receive the Award.

Opportunities

The AOCOO-HNS offers a complimentary “Opportunities” section of the Quarterly Newsletter.  This is designed to connect members and employers with employment opportunities.

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