- KAOM 2026 Fall Conference
- Featured Conference Speakers
- 2026 AOA Annual Report
- Upcoming KS-ACOFP Events
- KAOM Member Update
- Featured Resource
- KAOM Leadership Awards
- Resident Poster Call for Submissions
- Event Spotlight
- Healthcare News
- Kansas Osteopathic Foundation
KAOM 2026 Fall Conference
KansasCOM, Wichita, KS
Friday
OMM Workshops. Topics to include: Pre- and Post-op, Knee, Elbow, Wrist, Shoulder, Hip, Lower Back
Saturday
AI in Medicine
Digital Health and Telemedicine
Rural Transformation
Additional emerging and timely topics
Featured Conference Speakers
Dr. Gish is Dean of KansasCOM and has dedicated his career to advancing OMM and medical education. He has served in leadership roles at multiple colleges of osteopathic medicine, including as Founding Chair of the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Gish will lead a two-part conference session on the philosophy of OMT and its integration into everyday clinical practice.
Dr. Stafford is an Assistant Professor at KansasCOM and is board certified in Occupational and Aerospace Medicine. A former U.S. Army combat medic and brigade surgeon, he brings extensive military and clinical experience to his work.
During the conference, Dr. Stafford will lead hands-on OMM sessions, sharing his experience with integrating osteopathic manipulative medicine into clinical practice.
Dr. Masson is a psychologist, organizational leader, and advisor with expertise in artificial intelligence governance and strategy. As Founding President of Kansas Health Science University, she led the development of Wichita’s osteopathic medical school and now works with executives and institutions to guide the responsible implementation of AI, governance, and risk management in rapidly evolving environments.
Dr. Morrissey is a board-certified general surgeon and Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (FACOS). With advanced training in osteopathic manipulative medicine, he combines surgical expertise with an osteopathic approach to patient care.
Conference attendees will gain practical insights into the use of OMM in both pre- and post-operative settings.
Dr. Swanberg is a family medicine physician and the 2026–27 Sports Medicine Fellow with the KU School of Medicine-Wichita. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Skills and is committed to providing comprehensive, whole-person care rooted in osteopathic principles.
Dr. Swanberg has special expertise in sports medicine and will be presenting an OMM session on Friday.
2026 AOA Annual Report
The 2026 AOA Annual Report is now available. It provides an overview of the osteopathic medical profession's impressive strides forward in growth, advocacy and many other areas this past year.
Highlights include advocacy to help secure a 2.5% Medicare physician payment increase, a two-year extension of telehealth flexibilities and legislation providing $200 million for student loan forgiveness to strengthen the substance use disorder treatment workforce.
In addition, this year’s report outlines the proposed AOA 2026-2029 Strategic Plan, which is centered on raising the profile of osteopathic medicine, lifelong professional development and physician leadership.
Read the ReportUpcoming KS-ACOFP Events
Course: OMT Next Level
The KS and MO ACOFP are pleased to jointly present OMT: Next Level. Take your OMT skills to the next level with this hands-on workshop designed for family medicine physicians.
Participants will strengthen their clinical skills while fulfilling AOBFP OCC Component 3 requirements through accredited, practical instruction.
Physicians interested in teaching OMT can also explore the optional “Train the Trainer” certification track.
- August 22, 2026, 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Kansas City University
- Earn up to 8.0 AOA Category 1-A Credits
TopGolf Social
Join colleagues from across the state for a fun afternoon of golf, networking, and camaraderie at the TopGolf Social hosted jointly by KS and MO ACOFP.
- September, 2026
- More details to come
KAOM Member Update
KAOM Board Member Named to KCU Board
Congratulations to KAOM Board Member Karen Evans, DO, current President of the Kansas American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and past KAOM President.
Dr Evans will now be lending her valuable expertise to the KCU Board as a Trustee.
Featured Resource
AMA Telehealth Implementation Playbook
As telehealth continues to evolve as an integral part of healthcare delivery, the American Medical Association's Telehealth Implementation Playbook offers practical guidance for integrating virtual care into clinical practice. The playbook includes best practices for planning, workflow design, technology selection, patient engagement, and long-term program success.
Whether you're expanding an existing telehealth program or just getting started, it's a valuable resource for physicians and practice teams.
Be sure to check it out, and join us at KAOM’s Fall Conference, where telehealth and digital health will be among the topics discussed.
AMA Telehealth Playbook PDFKAOM Leadership Awards
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 KAOM Awards! At our Spring Conference, KAOM recognized excellence in osteopathic medicine in Kansas with our inaugural awards program.
Leadership Excellence*Awarded Posthumously to Robert Frayser, DO
Excellence in Patient CareBen Skoch, DO
Jason Williams, DO
Excellence in Student LeadershipLiza Fuentes
*Now the Dr. Robert Frayser Leadership Award, established in honor of the late Dr. Frayser.
In Memory of Dr. Robert Frayser
Submit Your Nomination HereCall for Submissions
KAOM is excited to welcome Kansas residency programs and residents to participate in our 2026 Fall Conference, taking place November 13-14, 2026, at the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Wichita, KS.
We encourage residents to share research, innovative projects, and clinical initiatives in poster form with colleagues from around the state.
Space is limited, and interested participants are encouraged to reach out to Kristi at kaom@kansasdo.org as soon as possible.
OMM
AI in Medicine
Digital Health and Telemedicine
Rural TransformationEvent Spotlight
Maternal Morbidity Conference
Join healthcare professionals from across Kansas on July 29–30 in Kansas City, KS for the A Million Moments for Maternal Mortality Prevention conference.
Hosted by KDHE and partners, this free educational event will explore leading contributors to maternal mortality - including physical and mental health, substance use, and intimate partner violence - and highlight collaborative approaches to improving maternal health outcomes.
Register Here Read about last year's conferenceHealthcare News
Kansas Rural Hospitals to Receive Federal Funds to Aid with Medicaid Cuts
Kansas is receiving federal funding to support rural healthcare through initiatives such as telehealth expansion, mobile maternal health clinics, and regional partnerships. While the funding is intended to help offset the impact of recent federal Medicaid cuts, many healthcare leaders say it will not fully address the financial challenges facing rural hospitals.
Read the Full Article HereKansas College Receives Federal Funding to Improve Health Care Access in Rural Areas
KansasCOM has received a federal grant to develop a rural family medicine residency program in partnership with hospitals across the state. The initiative aims to strengthen the physician workforce in underserved communities. As one leader noted in the article, “out of our 105 counties, 73 have a health professional shortage,” underscoring the need to train and retain physicians in rural Kansas.
Read the Full Article HereHow Physicians Are Navigating Rising Complexity Amid Stagnant Pay: A MedCentral Report
From workforce challenges and physician well-being to technology adoption and practice management, MedCentral's 2026 Medical Practice Report provides a comprehensive look at the issues affecting physicians today. Drawing on responses from clinicians across the country, the report offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of healthcare.
Read the Report HereKansas Osteopathic Foundation
Newsletter Update July 2026
Since 1969, the Kansas Osteopathic Foundation (KOF) has operated as a charitable organization. KOF is led by board president, James Rider, D.O., and supports scientific, literary, and educational purposes to improve education and awareness of osteopathic medicine. The foundation holds regular meetings, typically twice a year, during Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine (KAOM) events.
The foundation has provided financial support to KAOM in accordance with its mission for continuing education meetings, website development, and newsletter distribution. The foundation also supported the White Coat Ceremonies for the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine and Kansas City University. Also, the Gala of the American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF) was supported. Joel Feder, D.O., FACOFP (dist.) is a board member of the AOF. Several KAOM members and students from KansasCOM and KCU attended the gala and enjoyed the fellowship of osteopathic physicians from across the nation in Nashville in November 2025 during OMED25.
At the most recent meeting, the board approved the use of a Certified Public Accountant for bookkeeping and computation of the annual report. They also approved continued support for the organizations listed above and approved the use of a new foundation logo (below), designed by Mary Franz, D.O., FACOFP.
The current board members have served in many leadership capacities for KAOM and KOF. Together, their service has spanned many decades. All are accomplished osteopathic physicians with decades of membership in both organizations. They also demonstrated dedication to service on behalf of the profession by representation on many state health agencies and boards, often in a volunteer status. All are past presidents of KAOM.
Current KOF Board Members are:
Dr. James Rider, President
Dr. Roger Unruh, Vice President
Dr. Dary Callahan, Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Mary Franz, President KAOM (2026-27)
Dr. Angela Carrick, President-elect KAOM
Dr. Ron Whitmer, Trustee
Dr. Mike McClintick, Trustee
Dr. Joel Feder, Trustee
Dr. Sam Heck, Trustee
Dr. Cameron Knackstedt, Trustee
The Kansas Osteopathic Foundation is a “sister” organization to KAOM, though a separate legal entity. Therefore, KOF needs your permission to email you updates and news. Are you willing to join KOF's mailing list? If so, send a short message (“Yes to KOF updates” is fine) to kaom@kansasdo.org.
The foundation appreciates the opportunity to update members on current activities and looks forward to our continued shared progress in advancing osteopathic medicine in Kansas.
Sincerely,
Daryl J. Callahan, D.O., FACOFP
Secretary/Treasurer
Kansas Osteopathic Foundation’s new logo created by Mary Franz, D.O., FACOFP
