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Ohio Osteopathic Association Awards
2026 OOA Awards nominations are being accepted until Friday, March 13th.
The Ohio Osteopathic Association has established an awards program to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the osteopathic profession. General information about the awards' history is here.
Nominations are accepted here.
Distinguished Service Award
This award is the highest honor bestowed on an osteopathic physician who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in personal, scientific, and professional affairs, particularly in service to the osteopathic profession in Ohio. The nominee must be a long-standing member of his/her local academy, the OOA, and the AOA. The nominee cannot currently serve as an elected officer/trustee of the OOA.
View a list of past Distinguished Service Award recipients.
Meritorious Service Award
This award is given to an individual, not an osteopathic physician, in recognition of outstanding accomplishments in scientific, philanthropic, or other public service fields.
View a list of past Meritorious Service Award recipients.
Trustees' Award
Presented periodically for dedicated service to the Ohio Osteopathic Association, the award requires unanimous action of the OOA Board of Trustees.
View a list of past Trustees' Award recipients.
M. Bridget Wagner, DO, Humanitarian Award
Established in 2001, the award recognizes an osteopathic physician or individual associated with the osteopathic profession for acts of philanthropy and service to mankind.
The award name was changed in 2005 in memory of M. Bridget Wagner, DO, who posthumously received the award that year. Dr. Wagner served on the OOA Board of Trustees representing District XII (Warren) at her death. She died in a plane crash on October 19, 2004, in Kirksville, Missouri. The plane went down on the final approach to landing outside the Kirksville airport. Thirteen of the 15 aboard died. She was traveling to KCOM for faculty development in compassionate care and humanism in medicine.
Dr. Wagner was active in numerous medical education minority programs and provided care in many underserved areas worldwide. Her international volunteer aid was extensive, including efforts in Belize, Honduras, and Brazil. In 2003, she was elected to the Board of Directors of Missions Unlimited, a non-profit organization involved in domestic and international missions.
View a list of past M. Bridget Wagner, DO, Humanitarian Award recipients.
George L. Eckert, Jr., DO, Mentor of the Year Award
The George L. Eckert, Jr., DO, Mentor of the Year Award was established in 2011 to honor a physician each year who has a record of offering guidance and encouragement to medical students, residents, and fellows. Any Ohio osteopathic medical student, resident, or fellow may submit a nomination.
The award is named in memory of Dr. Eckert, a family physician from Columbus who was a mentor and role model for medical students, residents, and new DOs throughout his 57-year practice.
Dr. Eckert, who died on February 2, 2011, was well known in the profession as the chaplain of the OOA House of Delegates, delivering the opening prayer for more than 25 years. He opened his medical office in 1954, on North High Street, just blocks from Ohio State University, and operated his practice with compassion and grace for more than 28 years. In 1982, he accepted a position at Doctors Hospital as the director of Medical Education, a post he held until his retirement in 1991.
During his career, he served as chief of staff at Doctors Hospital, medical director at a nursing home, Board member for Peer Review Systems, member of the Columbus Board of Health for 16 years, Board President for three terms, and a clinical professor for Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was active in organized medicine, chairing numerous committees and serving as president of the Columbus Osteopathic Association. He continued serving as an Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Board member for many years.
Dr. Eckert cared for thousands and counseled hundreds on topics ranging from community health and education to the practice of family medicine, professional politics, and life in general. Most importantly, he was a friend to all who had the privilege of knowing him. Through the Mentor of the Year award, his dedication will be remembered, treasured, and appreciated for years to come.
Legacy Award
In 2015, the OOA Board of Trustees established the Legacy Award to recognize the first recipient--OOA Executive Director Jon F. Wills. Throughout his 40+ years at the OOA, Wills has worked to advance the osteopathic profession in Ohio.
Legacy Award Recipients
2015 Jon F. Wills
2016 Richard A. Vincent, MBA, president, Osteopathic Heritage Foundations
2017 Peter A. Bell, DO, past president, Ohio Osteopathic Association
