A collection of PNWU representatives recently attended the Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons’ (AMOPS’) 2024 Meeting and Medical Conference. The annual event – which was hosted this year in Tulsa, OK – brings students, residents, and physicians together to discuss the unique aspects of practice in the Uniformed Services by the more than 2,200 Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.
Captain Elizabeth Kosanke, DO, PNWU-COM Class of 2023, 2nd Lieutenant Katya Kniahnitsukava, OMS IV, and 2nd Lieutenant Alexis Dettrich Felgentrager, OMS III, attended as representatives of PNWU and the Air Force.
“The AMOPS Conference is an opportunity to not only learn about military medicine, but to also make connections in the military medicine community,” explained Student Dr. Dettrich Felgentrager. As this year’s Student Assistant Conference Chair, she helped plan the student-centered aspects of this year’s conference, such as Branch Dinners and extracurricular activities.
“I had the opportunity to meet and listen to some amazing military physicians,” said Student Dr. Dettrich Felgentrager, “and was able to hone more of my medical skills during the skills labs, where we rotated through six stations, including ultrasound guided vascular access, emergency cricothyrotomy, emergency lateral canthotomy, and more.”
She highlighted an opportunity to meet and take pictures with the Physician to the President, Kevin O’Connor, DO, as a standout of the conference. “Dr. O’Connor gave a talk about his journey with military medicine and told some great stories about his family as well,” she said. “He was a super nice guy that was willing to talk to and take pictures with all the students.”
In addition to those networking opportunities, Dr. Kosanke taught participants during the skills labs, and Student Drs. Dettrich Felgentrager and Kniahnitsukava helped with a community service project, which featured a group of 50 volunteers helping to restore an old church building into a new community center for the Cherokee Nation.
