Two DOs Appointed to National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation

Appointment ensures continued representation for osteopathic medical education community

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Bethesda, MD) – Today, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) applauds the appointment of AACOM nominee Millicent King Channell, DO, MA, FAAO, FNAOME, and AACOM Board of Deans member Brian Kessler, DO, FACOFP, to serve on the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). The NCFMEA evaluates accreditation standards applied to foreign medical schools and determines how they compare to U.S. medical school standards. Comparability is required for foreign medical schools to receive U.S federal financial aid.

“Dr. Channell’s academic medical and accreditation expertise and commitment to helping medical students from all cultures and backgrounds succeed, and Dr. Kessler’s proven experience leading the successful opening of new medical schools, will greatly enhance the important work being done by the NCFMEA,” said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. “Their appointments ensure the osteopathic perspective and voice will continue to be represented on this critical Committee.”

Dr. Channell is board certified in both family medicine and osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine. She has 18 years of academic medical experience. As curriculum dean, she led the Curriculum Division for Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan-VirtuaSOM) during their accreditation process, achieving a 10-year Accreditation Approval, which is considered exceptional. She is a member of the AACOM Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and served for more than a decade as the faculty advisor for the Student National Medical Association, which is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students. Currently, Dr. Channell is the senior associate dean for academic affairs & student services, and professor of osteopathic manipulative medicine and family medicine at Rowan-VirtuaSOM. She is also the 2023-24 president of the American Academy of Osteopathy.

“I’ve committed my career to the osteopathic philosophy and practice of treating the mind, body, and spirit. It’s an honor to serve on the NCFMEA and be allowed to bring that perspective to serve our nation,” said Dr. Channell.

Dr. Kessler is dean of the Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM). He served as associate dean of clinical affairs for the medical school in 2011, two years before it opened its doors to students, and subsequently spent five years as the vice president, dean and chief academic officer for Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tennessee. Dr. Kessler was instrumental in launching CUSOM in 2013 and guiding it through its first three years. At Lincoln Memorial, he helped launch a branch campus in Knoxville, Tennessee, as vice president and dean.

“I am honored to serve on the NCFMEA and help ensure our country’s future physicians meet the highest educational and clinical standards. As a proud DO, I feel it is imperative that the entire medical community be represented and heard on this important committee,” said Dr. Kessler.

Dr. Channell and Dr. Kessler’s terms began in October 2023. Previous DOs on the Committee include AACOM nominee Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO, inaugural senior vice provost of the Virtua Health College of Medicine and Life Sciences and Virtua Health’s chief academic officer, who served on and chaired the NCFMEA.

About AACOM:

Founded in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is the leading voice for the education and training of physicians who practice osteopathic medicine in settings across the medical spectrum—from primary care to the full range of medical specialties. We support our member colleges of osteopathic medicine in their efforts to attract and train individuals who are fueled by a desire to make a difference in our healthcare system by treating the whole person and building a future emphasizing health and wellness for all people. Today, more than 35,000 future physicians—25 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 41 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 66 teaching locations in 35 states. To learn more about AACOM, please visit our website.

Contacts:

Joseph Shapiro
Director of Media Relations
(240) 938-0746
jshapiro@aacom.org

Christine DeCarlo
Senior Manager of Media and Public Affairs
(202) 603-1026
cdecarlo@aacom.org