ACOS honors Hiren N. Patel, D.O., FACOS, with the 2026 ACOS Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Hiren N. Patel received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from LECOM-Bradenton in 2011. He graduated from Emory University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. Dr. Patel graduated from the historic PCOM Neurosurgery Residency Program which was established in 1970.
Dr. Patel serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Chunilal Initiative and as President/Chair of the Massachusetts Osteopathic Society. The Chunilal Initiative is a nonprofit organization consisting of licensed healthcare professionals and non-clinical support staff volunteers. The Chunilal Initiative establishes ongoing neurosurgery mission trips in underserved, impoverished, and marginalized communities around the world. To date, Chunilal has established neurosurgery programs in Kenya, the West Indies, and Guyana. The nonprofit has established year-round virtual neurosurgery on-call coverage that has led to a sharp decline in neurosurgery morbidity and mortality. In addition, the organization provides substantial support to local orphanages in its host countries. The Chunilal Initiative has expanded beyond establishing programs and broke ground on a brand new hospital in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2024, which will serve as the future home for a regional neurosurgery center of excellence providing care to the populations of 11 countries in the region. In its current state the Chunilal Initiative provides charitable care to a catchment area of approximately 30 million people.
The ACOS Humanitarian Award, established in 1998 by the Board of Governors, recognizes ACOS Fellows whose selfless dedication to humanitarian service has made a meaningful impact on individuals and communities. The award honors members who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to volunteer service at the local, state, national, or international level, reflecting the osteopathic profession’s enduring values of compassion, service, and community leadership.