Dear members, former members, and colleagues:

I trust this letter finds you, your families and practices well and happy. I am looking forward to the season ahead and being in touch with you all.

When I accepted the position of President of the NCOMA, my mission was predicated on one idea that would promote our organization and secure our continued success. That idea was MEMBERSHIP! This is as true today as when I said it last July. I took some time to review not only the NCOMA but also the AOA mission statements. What particularly struck me were the last two words of AOA’s statement, “unified profession”. Our organization best represents the interests of Osteopathic Physicians when we are in unison. As a result, I implemented a plan entitled: Extending a Helping Hand to Our Colleagues. This is a bi-tiered plan to inspire existing physicians to join our organization as well as our community, but to also recruit from outside of the State, attracting potential candidates from medical schools and training programs alike.

Step 1 involves doing just what the plan name says: extending a hand to our colleagues. The plan welcomes new members to the group as well as providing support to existing members. Our goal is to act as sounding boards to field questions. Furthermore, we have to take a special interest in new graduates or physicians who have decided to call North Carolina home. How? By doing what we do best, offering our time, knowledge and support. We can expect questions, perhaps about new offices, patient demographics, local hospitals and the ever-popular NC Insurance requirements and practices. But let’s not limit it to those topics. We can also be there to help with personal information such as public schools, private schools, shopping and entertainment. Remember, the goal is a “unified profession” a community of Osteopathic Physicians.

Step 2 is simple, let’s ramp-up recruiting efforts. We chose to establish our practices and our homes here for a reason. We are reaching out to Osteopathic Colleges around the country with a message to all who are considering North Carolina as a home, and to educate them about our State and our organization and their combined benefits.

Ideally, every Osteopathic physician in the State can benefit from being a member of NCOMA. Talk to your peers, your friends, and other professionals. Encourage them to become members of NCOMA. If you need any assistance, feel free to contact me at drbgoode@gmail.com or our membership chair, Emidio Novembre, D.O., at enovembre@embarqmail.com . Speaking of members, their accomplishments and benefits of membership, our North Carolina Osteopathic physicians have been distinguishing themselves in other circles. Please recognize and applaud NCOMA’s Dr. Barbara Walker, D.O. for being elected to a second term as 1st Vice President of the AOA. Let us also applaud the accomplishments of Dr. Don Jablonski, D.O. who was a past president of NCOMA, for being elected as President of the North Carolina Medical Board. Don will be the first D.O. to serve as President of that organization. I look forward to working with all of you for the remainder of my term and to drive NCOMA to become an effective and vibrant organization.

We will also be holding our 2010 Annual CME Meeting on April 15-18, 2010 at the beautiful Renaissance Marriott Hotel in North Hills in Raleigh. We have arranged hotel reservations and there will be up to 27 CME credits available through a weekend of classes, lectures, and seminars. For more information, please visit NCOMA Conferences & Events.

Best regards to all and wishing you Happy Holidays,

Dr. Beverly Goode-Kanawati, D.O.
NCOMA President