Becher, Kuo Honored by National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners
December 18, 2015
John Becher, DO '70 (left), chair, emergency medicine, and AOA president, was honored
with the Santucci Award, presented by NBOME Board Chair, Wayne R. Carlsen, DO.
The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) recently honored two PCOM
faculty members for their commitment to the organization and to osteopathic medical
education.
John W. Becher, DO ’70, chair of emergency medicine and current president of the American
Osteopathic Association, on Dec. 11 received the Santucci Award, the NBOME’s highest
honor. As chair of the NBOME Clinical Skills Testing Advisory Committee, Dr. Becher
was instrumental in developing policy and procedures for the clinical skills examination.
Working with the NBOME, he was able to develop and implement a new emergency medicine
certification examination, and in 2009, introduced a recertifying examination in that
specialty in the same format. Dr. Becher was a regular visitor to both the Chicago
and Philadelphia offices for countless NBOME meetings, interviews and other assignments
to assist the executive staff.
Exiting NBOME Board Chair Wayne R. Carlsen, DO, said, “The Santucci Award is awarded
to an individual for his or her sustained outstanding contributions to the mission
of the NBOME…protecting the public by providing the means to assess competencies for
osteopathic medicine and related health care professions. Certainly John Becher’s
contributions to the NBOME mission have been exemplary.”
The NBOME also welcomed to its board David Kuo, DO ’96 (pictured at right), assistant dean for graduate medical education, and program director
for the Family Medicine Residency.
The NBOME is the leading assessment organization for the osteopathic medical profession.
NBOME’s COMLEX-USA examination series is a requirement for graduation from colleges
of osteopathic medicine and provides the pathway to licensure for osteopathic physicians
in the United States and numerous international jurisdictions.
About Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Founded in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands
of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists
who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms.
PCOM operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic
medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and school psychology, and graduate degrees in
applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic
medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, non profit leadership
and population health management, organizational development and leadership, physician
assistant studies, school psychology, and public health management and administration.
PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service
to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care
to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
For more information, contact:
Daniel McCunney
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Email: danielmc1@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304 | Cell:
267-449-1360