Dawn Tartaglione, D.O., FACOS Discusses Changes Ahead 

Addressing the audience at the Ceremonial Conclave on Friday, September 23, 2016, outgoing ACOS President Dawn R. Tartaglione, D.O., FACOS, discussed some of the changes ahead for the profession. 

“First, let me thank all of you for making my Presidential year a pleasure. Special thanks also to all of my mentors and to you, Dr. Buser, for being here with us this evening. And thank you to my wonderful husband, Andrew. 

I would like to say that our CEO, Linda Ayers, and our incredible ACOS staff have performed amazing feats this year and for that I am grateful and truly impressed. 

Your Board of Governors has worked very hard to thoughtfully handle issues and make decisions that are the best ones for the ACOS’ future. I am extremely honored to have ever been considered to lead this outstanding group. Thank you for that.

Well, let's talk about what it's like to be an osteopathic surgeon right now. If it isn’t enough to have “normal” responsibilities like perform surgery as perfectly as possible and take care of our patients and families - we have the daily drama of IT mishaps AND we get to try to understand and follow new hospital and government requirements on practically a weekly basis. It’s a lot to handle. It’s too much for some. When we are feeling overwhelmed, we need to do something that surgeons, and actually all physicians, don’t like to do, which is ask for help when we need it. We need to band together, pull each other closer, touch base more often, and as we go through these tough times, we need to cling to each other.

And now, our role as a professional association is changing!  Don't we all just LOVE change. Over the next few years, things we have prided ourselves on doing so well—participating in postgraduate training of our residents—will no longer be as big of a part of our identity. It’s a massive shift for us as the single accreditation system goes into effect and I want you to know that the ACOS is furiously preparing for this change! Our core values—to serve and educate our members—is driving us in new directions to serve and preserve our heritage.
 
After serving with these amazing people in front of me and behind me, there are three things I can tell you for sure. First, this College will survive, thrive, and flourish as long as you, the members, wish it to do so. Second, this College has incredibly talented members and staff that will rise to the occasion and make the required changes in our service lines to make us relevant, viable, and successful for many years to come.

As we face this time of drastic change for our profession, we are all under a great deal of stress and it can be hard to find the joy in life, in work, in anything. I want to encourage you do things that bring you joy whenever you can, perhaps get involved in positive activities—like our College, and tell your “peeps”, that is, the ones you care about, exactly how you feel. Don’t miss an opportunity to say something you’d like to hear.

Your next President, Scott Blickensderfer, D.O., FACOS is a thoughtful, intelligent man with tons of awesome urology jokes, that cares about this College more than you know. 

Thank you everyone for a wonderful year and for allowing me this precious time with you.”