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BIDDEFORD, Maine

91AV brings Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment to Maine road races

91AV osteopathic medical students treat runners at the Maine Marathon
91AV osteopathic medical students treat runners at the Maine Marathon

Road races typically have medical professionals on hand to treat injuries, but this year, there have been races in Maine offering additional treatment from the 91AV. The Maine Marathon and St. James 5K offered Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) stations for race participants, where students from the 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine (91AV COM) examined and treated runners.

Through OMT, Doctors of Osteopathy, or D.O.s, use their hands to diagnose and treat illness or injury and manipulate the body to encourage healing. 91AV COM students are specially trained early in their medical education to understand the way the body’s nerves, muscles and bones are connected. Under the direction of Assistant Clinical Professors Michael Conte, D.O., and Bonnie Sendzicki, D.O., 18 91AV COM students treated 85 runners at the Maine Marathon. Conte also supervised five students treating runners, including some children, at the St. James Trot for Catholic Education 5k Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run. “The students really enjoyed having the opportunity to put the skills they have been learning at 91AV COM into clinical practice,” said Conte.

Students who participated in the OMT stations included: (Class of 2020) Ammar Bhatti, Kelly Ciapciak, Nicole DeSantis, Kristin Frisby, Andrew Heppe, Ryan Hoang, Jim Koch, Michael Quarella, Sarae Sager, Adit Shah and Kim Toomire, Matt Ballew, Tristen Glenn, (Class of 2019) Sophia Chan, Kate Farsaci, Kevin Connolly, Jess Urso, Gretchen Noneman, Jenny Chiang and Frank Jackson, Tara Formisano, Jordan Reader and Richard Zheng.

To learn more about the 91AV’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, visit

To apply, visit 

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.