136 Leadership medical education landscape as well. He instinctively knew that it would fall upon his shoulders to preside over the process of choosing the next individual to officiate over the business affairs and outreach of ACOFP operations. That decision would be key to the success or failure of the organization well into the future. Indeed, that was what transpired, and the process would not progress as rapidly as planned. During the time of transition, the weight of leadership rested on the president and executive committee for operations and guidance, and they performed admirably. Dr. Koehler was very quick to recognize that maintaining internal unity was the key to survival in times of transition and uncertainty. AOA had been forced through litigation to decouple membership of its physician members from maintaining AOA board certification. No longer did the members have to pay dues to AOA to remain certified. This was a tremendous financial blow not only to AOA, but to all the affiliate societies, including family medicine, the largest component society in the osteopathic profession. During this transition period, decisions were being made that might benefit one group and challenge another. Dr. Koehler was one of the strongest voices that rallied other affiliate societies to point out to the AOA Board of Trustees that survival depended on decisions that benefited everyone, not just the founding organization. When asked what his most memorable experience was during his presidency he stated: “It was telling a reference committee at the AOA house or board meeting that they were continuing to make decisions that affected the affiliate societies and having leaders from five other affiliate societies standing around me, helping to rewrite resolutions.” Dr. Koehler’s experience as an educator and designated institutional official (DIO) of teaching health centers in eastern Oklahoma instilled within him the desire to advocate for students and residents to be more involved in ACOFP, as well as to strengthen the CME delivery to all members. That postgraduate medical education knowledge was vital as ACOFP and AOA moved to a Single Accreditation System, which would be put into full effect on June 30, 2020, a year after he left office. His and the board’s choice of Bob Moore as ACOFP’s new executive director ensured a positive outlook for the college’s future growth and prosperity. He put ACOFP on a stronger footing by bolstering the basic infrastructure of the central office and preparing it to handle new challenges in the future. Dr. Koehler made sure ACOFP survived and even thrived during his tenure, and he remained fully engaged as past president after returning to practice at the Cherokee Nation Vinita Health Center in Oklahoma, in the spring of 2019. Little did he know at the time that his work of ensuring the survival of ACOFP would be tested to the max in late winter of 2019 by a little-known virus emerging halfway around the world that would threaten not just osteopathic medical education and ACOFP’s survival, but that of the world as we knew it as well.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2NjI=