By Nancy West
The annual observance of Founders鈥� Day honors the founders of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine: Oscar John Snyder, DO, and Mason Wiley Pressly, DO. The profiles of the honorees that follow provide examples of those who continue to embody the dedication, loyalty and service that the College鈥檚 founders exhibited.
OLIVER C. BULLOCK, DO 鈥�78
Dr. Bullock might never have become an osteopathic physician if it weren鈥檛 for a bad cold. His wife convinced him to go to a new doctor in the neighborhood, the late John Covington, DO 鈥�71, whom the community was raving about. 鈥淭hey said there was something special about him, so I went. He was recruiting minorities for 黑料传送门 at the time and he asked, 鈥楧id you ever think about going to medical school?鈥欌�� recalls Dr. Bullock, who was then a high school biology teacher. 鈥淗e gave me the phone number for Carol A. Fox, MM [retired associate vice president for enrollment management and alumni relations liaison]. I decided to call her for an appointment, and that got the ball rolling.鈥�
Throughout his 27 years at 黑料传送门, Dr. Bullock has emphasized the importance of community health. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 just treat the patient,鈥� says Dr. Bullock, chair of the department of community medicine. 鈥淵ou must also take care of the community the patient comes from.鈥� That mantra is at the heart of his practice and teaching.
Dr. Bullock began practicing medicine in the Philadelphia community where he grew up, first setting up shop in the church where his parents were married after it was converted to a healthcare center by the National Health Service Corps. He soon realized that many patients did not understand or listen to what the doctor was saying. 鈥淢any of them would bring in a whole bag of medicine and dump it out, not understanding what a single pill was for or how you were to take them,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚t was obvious that we needed to educate the community, so we started doing health fairs on a regular basis.鈥�
When he joined the 黑料传送门 faculty in 1988, Dr. Bullock advocated for the importance of community health, and the College supported his efforts in a number of ways. 鈥淲e decided to start with the kids because many have a fear of a physician鈥檚 office,鈥� Dr. Bullock explains. Working with the assistant director of The Muppet Show and The Nick Swindlin Puppet Theater, Dr. Bullock and the 黑料传送门 staff developed a program to allay children鈥檚 fears and increase their understanding of medical instruments by featuring puppet characters on an imaginary trip to a physician鈥檚 office. 黑料传送门 staff took the puppet show to elementary schools throughout the Philadelphia School District. The show was in such constant demand that a video and companion coloring book were produced and are still used today by 黑料传送门 student groups providing community education.
Dr. Bullock鈥檚 dedication to community health also inspired the College鈥檚 Boards of Trustees to build brand new facilities for all 黑料传送门 Healthcare Centers in Philadelphia. 鈥淭he boards recognized that we were doing good work, and they wanted our facilities to reflect that,鈥� he says.
Dr. Bullock takes pride in his service on the Pew Foundation Health Commission, which was well ahead of its time in predicting today鈥檚 healthcare trends, and as chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine from 2000 to 2003. Among many 黑料传送门 accolades, he was the recipient of the 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award, and served as vice chairman of the 黑料传送门 Diversity Council.
Reflecting on his many years of teaching, Dr. Bullock says, 鈥淚 want our students to learn that no matter what specialty they choose, the most successful doctors are the ones who can communicate the best with their patients and possess that essential combination of caring and competence.鈥�
JOSEPH A. DIETERLE, DO 鈥�70
Dr. Dieterle remembers visiting his family physician鈥檚 office as if it were yesterday. 鈥淒r. Robert A. Hibbs was a classic of his day,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淗e worked alone in his office, the library of a stately old home with stained woodwork, a fireplace and beautiful paintings. He had no nurse or receptionist. If you needed care, you just showed up during office hours. As a child, I had a 鈥榙octor bag,鈥� and he would give me old stethoscopes, empty vitamin bottles, head mirrors, and tongue blades to fill it.鈥�
As Dr. Dieterle鈥檚 interest in becoming a physician grew, Dr. Hibbs became his mentor. Then suddenly, when Dr. Dieterle was a junior in high school, Dr. Hibbs died. 鈥淚 was floundering without a compass,鈥� Dr. Dieterle says about that time.
After Dr. Hibbs鈥� passing, Dr. Dieterle and his family turned to 鈥渢wo young, enthusiastic osteopathic physicians for care鈥擲tuart Baer, DO 鈥�63, and John C. Crawford, DO 鈥�56.鈥� Over time, they became Dr. Dieterle鈥檚 new mentors, each writing him a letter of recommendation to 黑料传送门.
Dr. Dieterle soon discovered a passion for pediatrics. 鈥淚 really enjoyed caring for children and watching them grow, interacting with parents and observing all the joys and pleasures,鈥� he notes. After graduating from 黑料传送门 and completing an internship at Flint (Michigan) Osteopathic Hospital, he became the first osteopathic resident at St. Christopher鈥檚 Hospital for Children, where he was also named chief resident during his last year.
With encouragement from the late Thomas M. Rowland, Jr., former 黑料传送门 president, Dr. Dieterle decided to join the faculty at 黑料传送门. He ultimately became chairman and professor of the Department of Pediatrics鈥攁 department that he strengthened and to which multiple subspecialties were added. Dr. Dieterle also started a program that trained 26 pediatric residents.
鈥淭he students, interns and residents were so stimulating,鈥� recalls Dr. Dieterle. 鈥淭hey were my mentors. They asked the questions, and I had to be ready for them. They made me learn. I read a lot to stay on top of things.鈥�
During his tenure at 黑料传送门, Dr. Dieterle also served as vice president of medical affairs and dean, as well as director of medical education. He initiated the College鈥檚 DO/MBA dual degree program as well as the Minority Student Scholarship Fund.
In 1989, he realized a lifelong dream: practicing in the community where he lived. He took over a private practice in Somers Point, New Jersey, with Dr. Mark Jacobson that grew to include three locations and nine osteopathic physicians; five were 黑料传送门 alumni. 鈥淚t was great fun,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚 enjoyed bumping into patients wherever I went.鈥� A number of 黑料传送门 students fulfilled rotations within the practice under Dr. Dieterle鈥檚 mentorship.
Now retired from pediatric practice, Dr. Dieterle is an emeritus professor and has served on the College鈥檚 Boards of Trustees since 2003.
Reflecting on his career, he takes pride in serving as the only osteopathic president of the Philadelphia Pediatrics Society, as well as serving on the Governor鈥檚 Task Force for Perinatal Health and the Childbirth Education Association. Among his many recognitions, in 2003, Dr. Dieterle was inducted into the La Salle University Hall of Athletes for his swimming records as a National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American. In 1982, he received the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching. He was the 2012 recipient of Shore Medical Center鈥檚 Chairman鈥檚 Award.
A distinguished fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Dieterle was the first pediatric resident in the United States to take both the osteopathic and allopathic boards. 鈥淚 always hoped that these achievements would bring well-deserved recognition to 黑料传送门,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 had the best of both worlds during my career鈥攖eaching at an outstanding medical school and taking care of children.鈥�
VALERIE L. MOORE, MS (DO 鈥�15)
Ms. Moore describes herself as an optimist. 鈥淓veryone has within them the possibility not only to survive but to thrive,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 always try to help people be the best they can be and, at the same time, I try to be the best person I can be.鈥�
Throughout her years at 黑料传送门, Ms. Moore has demonstrated that philosophy in countless ways. She has served in numerous leadership positions and volunteered hundreds of hours to community service projects. Among her many achievements, she takes great pride in serving as chair of her class. 鈥淵ou are elected to this position by your classmates during the first six weeks of class,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or my classmates to have enough confidence in my ability and to trust me with that position after such a short time was humbling.鈥�
She is also proud of her involvement with the Philadelphia Black Women鈥檚 Health Alliance, a program that implements health initiatives, distributes community resources and provides patient advocacy for women and children throughout the metropolitan Philadelphia area. 鈥淭his program recognizes that women are often the nucleus of the family. We focus on helping them maintain healthy habits and positive decision making with the hope that this will radiate a positive impact on the rest of the family,鈥� she explains.
Ms. Moore also coordinated the 鈥淲alk a Mile in Her Shoes鈥� event for Women Against Abuse. 鈥淲e recruited male 黑料传送门 students to walk in high heels on City and Monument Avenues to raise awareness about women and children who are victims of domestic violence and abusive situations,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 saw this as an opportunity to take a stand that, as physicians, we are responsible for making sure our patients are in a safe environment.鈥�
She is most humbled by her selection as the recipient of the 2015 Mason W. Pressly Memorial Award. 鈥淢y peers and faculty members who have worked with me know my strengths and weaknesses. With all that knowledge, they still found me a worthy candidate to represent 黑料传送门 on such a high level. This is truly an honor,鈥� she states.
Ms. Moore looks forward to a residency and career in pediatrics, noting that she told her mother she wanted to be a 鈥渂aby medical doctor鈥� when she was just three years old. 鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about using the osteopathic philosophy with our littlest, most vulnerable population,鈥� says Ms. Moore.
鈥淚 strongly believe that the ideals and principles of osteopathic medicine are essential to who we are and how we practice as physicians,鈥� she emphasizes. 鈥淚 challenge my colleagues and commit my personal efforts to moving forward the foundational ideals of osteopathic medicine, being proud of my osteopathic identity, striving to continue laying a firm groundwork of support for rising osteopathic students and always trusting my hands鈥� ability to facilitate patient healing.鈥�
LAUREN E. SMITH (DO 鈥�16)
Ms. Smith鈥檚 journey to become an osteopathic physician began in an unlikely way: with the study of anthropology. Although she began her undergraduate studies as a biology major, she was drawn to anthropology in her sophomore year. After switching majors, she made several trips to conduct research in Belize, where her passion for underserved communities was ignited.
鈥淚 spent a summer working as an intern with the Ministry of Health in Belize amidst one of the most severe outbreaks of dengue fever that country has ever experienced,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 also volunteered regularly at a local rural hospital; therefore, I was able to see how this outbreak was addressed from both public health and clinical standpoints. I realized there was a severe lack of communication between the public health and clinical sectors of the government, and worked with both parties to make the prevention and treatment plan for dengue fever more feasible and effective.鈥�
Ms. Smith returned to Belize a few months later to conduct her own anthropological-based study, during which she interviewed the community to understand their cultural conceptions of dengue fever. 鈥淢y research provided key data for improving future prevention and control strategies, and highlighted the importance of community integration and education in public health interventions,鈥� she explains. 鈥淔or me, this was more than just a 鈥榯hird world鈥� aid experience. I became passionate about educating the community in order to make them healthier and safer. Seeing the impact that medicine can have on a community inspired me to pursue medicine as a career.鈥�
After learning about osteopathic medicine, she instantly saw it as 鈥渁 natural fit for me. Anthropology looks at 鈥榯he whole鈥� of what it means to be human,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t examines the physical, social and cultural aspects of humanity. My belief in this system of thought strongly coincides with the holistic approach to health care offered by osteopathic medicine, as wellness encompasses the physical, mental and spiritual realms of a person.鈥�
Her passion for osteopathic medicine and teaching led to an osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) teaching fellowship at Georgia Campus 鈥� Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. 鈥淕oing into OMM during my first year of medical school, I loved working with my hands, and the practice really made sense to me. I love OMM, and I think it serves a place in every aspect of medicine.鈥�
Ms. Smith plans to pursue a residency and career in general surgery and also plans to continue teaching OMM as a preceptor for other medical students and by giving lectures. 鈥淚 see a strong need for OMM to be incorporated into the field of surgery,鈥� she emphasizes. 鈥淚n terms of pre-op and post-op care, I think it could really improve outcomes.鈥�
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