EAST LANSING, Mich. — William Strampel, dean of Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, recently led a delegation of health officials to South Korea with hopes of expanding the reach of the U.S. model of osteopathic medicine.
Strampel, along with Reza Nassiri and Sung Soo Chung, both of MSU's Institute of International Health, and officials from the American Osteopathic Association petitioned for recognition of U.S.-trained osteopathic physicians in the country and to establish research programming with some of its local hospitals and universities.
Korean Health Minister Che Min Rim embraced the idea of osteopathic medical licensure in Korea, which would allow MSU to train future Korean osteopathic physicians. Rim also has agreed to look into the cost effectiveness of osteopathic medical care for his country.
These actions are another step in spreading the American model of osteopathic medicine, putting it -on par with M.D.s in terms of practice rights, said Nassiri, director of MSU’s Institute of International Health and an associate dean of global health in the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Currently, osteopathic medicine is recognized in the U.S. and 60 other countries.
The trip also included a presentation on MSU global health efforts and a signing of a memorandum of understanding on educational exchanges and research programming with Eulgi University School of Medicine.
"All of these events aimed to further promote MSU and establish research programming and the efficacy of the American model of osteopathic medicine with top Korean academic and health officials," Nassiri said.
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