Joan Grzybowski, DO ’87, an assistant professor of Family Medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), has been appointed chair of the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians (AOBFP), the national certifying body for osteopathic family practice physicians under the American Osteopathic Association. In this role, Grzybowski will oversee the board certification and recertification process for more than 13,000 osteopathic family physicians nationally.
Grzybowski’s primary focus will be on promoting the AOBFP’s certification process. She aims to educate program directors, students, and residents about the value of osteopathic certification, which includes the unique aspect of Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT), distinguishing DOs from their allopathic counterparts.
“What we're trying to do now is adapt to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) merger, which has brought DOs and MDs more closely together than ever before,” said Grzybowski. “One of my goals is to inform program directors about the value of osteopathic certification over allopathic alternatives, emphasizing that those who attend osteopathic schools should pursue certification through the AOBFP. We want to educate students, residents, and program directors about the benefits and value of our certification pathway.”
For Grzybowski, this two-year appointment allows her to build on her mentors' work while bringing fresh ideas to advance the board’s mission of maintaining quality in family practice. As a woman in leadership, she hopes to inspire future women osteopathic leaders, encouraging women to recognize their value early and helping young professionals reach their potential.
Grzybowski is the recipient of awards including The Pennsylvania Society of The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians’ Frederick J. Solomon DO Award of Merit (1994); the American Osteopathic Association’s President Award of Merit (2004-2006); and the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society’s Raymond J. Saloom DO Memorial Award (2008). She has been a faculty member at PCOM for more than 10 years.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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Email: kristenho1@pcom.edu
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