Learn a bit about osteopathic medicine from my first mentor, a man who found his path in life just by saying "yes." With some of the world's greatest osteopathic mentors guiding his way, Donald Hankinson continues to share the wealth of knowledge he gained on his journey in life with future practitioners of this special tradition.
Donald started his unique journey in a world of unknowns following the signs that brought him one place to the next. Just as he wrote in one of his songs, "when you are lost and can't find your way, just remember there's a road." And that is exactly how Donald has lived his life, with faith that the path would unfold before him. After college, he was curiously brought from one place to the next ultimately leading him to osteopathy- something that I relate to in my own life. After becoming an osteopathic teaching fellow, a path that I also fell into, he worked on a reservation for the national health service corp before starting his own primary care practice combining general practice with osteopathic manipulation. After many years, I met him before his transition out of primary care into a group practice offering osteopathic manipulation, that which distinguishes us from MD or allopathic physicians. A few years later, while spending an extra year in medical school as a fellow, I became his assistant while teaching his first osteopathic medicine "Phase" course. Donald was one of my first mentors amongst many, something that is common practice in this work. Listen to this podcast to get a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the hands-on practice of osteopathy and some of the meaning behind this work.