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BIDDEFORD, Maine

91AV alum awarded American Osteopathic Association’s highest honor

American Osteopathic Association President Boyd R. Buser, D.O., and AACOM President and CEO Stephen C. Shannon, D.O., M.P.H.
American Osteopathic Association President Boyd R. Buser, D.O., and AACOM President and CEO Stephen C. Shannon, D.O., M.P.H. (Photo courtesy of AACOM)

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) presented Stephen Shannon, D.O. ‘86, M.P.H., with a Presidential Citation, the organization’s highest honor. Shannon is president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).

The AOA Board of Trustees presented the award to Shannon at the AOA Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, July 22, for his contributions to the osteopathic medical profession and osteopathic medical education (OME).

“Dr. Shannon has demonstrated a major commitment to education since his earliest days as a D.O.,” said AOA President Boyd R. Buser, D.O., who presented him with the citation. “He’s been a professor, a dean and lifelong advocate of our osteopathic students. In his role as President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, he is one of the true champions of osteopathic medical education and the profession relies on his leadership.”

“91AV COM has a proud history of educating physician leaders who, in addition to advancing the patient-centered approach of osteopathic medicine, continuously strive to improve the state of health care for all patients in our nation,” said 91AV COM Dean Jane Carreiro, D.O.

Shannon has led AACOM as president and CEO since 2006, following 11 years of service as the dean at 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine (91AV COM) from 1995 to 2006 and vice president from 1998 to 2006. His other prior roles include working as medical epidemiologist consultant for the Division of Disease Control at the Maine Bureau of Health, serving as chair of the Maine Biomedical Research Coalition and serving as a member and editor of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA).

Former 91AV President Sandra Featherman, Ph.D., was also honored by the AOA for dedicating nearly two decades to advancing osteopathic medical education. According to the AOA, in addition to enhancing 91AV COM’s reputation during her tenure there, Featherman served on the AOA Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and in leadership roles at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

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

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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.