A Letter from Mike Carlson, AAOM President
As we are closing in on the end of 2025 I wanted to keep everyone informed on gains that have been made over this year.
The AAOM Annual Conference (OTX25) kicked off a very successful string of events that have continued throughout the summer and early fall. Amy Bucaida and I traveled to Kansas City, MO to attend the AMSSM Conference, where we had the opportunity to engage with the some of the leaders in the sports medicine community. We shared insights about the powerful healing potential of regenerative orthobiologics and the many ways the AAOM supports clinicians in treating sports-related injuries.
While one might assume that “everyone knows about regenerative medicine,” the reality is that this field is not widely taught in traditional medical training. One of our goals is to introduce more sports medicine graduates to the AAOM and Interventional Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine (IROM), helping them expand their practices through the knowledge and instruction we provide. I encourage all members to invite recent fellows and colleagues in your area to attend our training workshops or Annual Conference.
In August, we hosted our Cadaver Extremity Injection Workshop at the Arthrex facility in Troy, Michigan. The event, hosted by Steve Karageanes, DO, featured a talented faculty that included Jonathan Fenton, DO; Paul Johnson, DO; and Mike Carlson, DO. This day-and-a-half workshop offered participants extensive hands-on time and a favorable cadaver-to-participant ratio, ensuring everyone left with greater confidence and practical skills to use in daily practice.
Our Live Patient Injection Mission Course in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was truly remarkable. Many participants described it as “life-changing.” Led by Mike Carlson, DO, with faculty including Steve Karageanes, DO; Sebastian Klisiewicz, DO; Andrew Kochan, MD; and Frank Johnson, MD, Amy Bucaida, and Kris Rockouski, the course combined didactic sessions with four days of hands-on clinical instruction. Participants honed diagnostic and ultrasound-guided injection skills while providing free care to local community patients. Together, we set a new record for the number of patients treated!
We were fortunate to collaborate with the CUMDA Brigade, led by Wajid Burade, MD; Hernan Flores, MD; Christina Gutierrez, MD; and Fernanda Anaya, MD. CUMDA, founded by Drs. Burad and Flores just seven years ago, has rapidly grown into a leading organization providing comprehensive non-surgical orthopedic care across Mexico. We look forward to continuing to partner with them on future projects.
In October, we hosted our Cadaver Spine Injection Workshop in Dallas, TX. Faculty members consisted of co- chairs Tejas Ozarker, MD and Sean Mulvaney, MD; along with Brian Shiple, DO; John Ferrell, MD; Paul Johnson, DO; and Mike Carlson, DO who all provided expert instruction in both ultrasound and fluoroscopic spine injection techniques. This sold-out, day-and-a-half event offered participants multiple repetitions and one-on-one guidance—making it our most comprehensive spine workshop to-date.
I am proud to announce that this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Sean Mulvaney, MD. Dr. Mulvaney has made tremendous contributions to our field through his research, passion for teaching, and years of dedicated service at the Naval Institute and ROSM. His commitment to his patients—especially his fellow veterans—is truly inspiring. Sean’s intelligence, humor, and leadership have enriched our community, and it will be an honor to present this award to him at OTX26, our Annual Conference in Pensacola, Florida, March 18–21.
I encourage everyone to join us in Pensacola for the OTX26 Scientific Conference and Hands-on Workshops. We have an outstanding lineup of national speakers presenting workshops and lectures on topics directly relevant to your practice. You’ll gain up-to-date insights and practical techniques you can implement immediately. You can register here.
Don’t forget to take advantage of our free “Hot Topics” webinars, held on the second Tuesday of each month. Hosted by John Ferrell, MD, these sessions feature national experts discussing timely subjects, followed by a Q&A that helps us all deepen our clinical knowledge. Members can view Hot Topic recordings online by clicking here.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our Executive Director, Amy Bucaida. Amy retired after the Annual Conference in March 2025, in order to spend time with her grandchildren and enjoy other hobbies, family, and traveling. Recently, I was able to convince Amy to return to the AAOM in the Executive Director position. I am confident that Amy is the right person for this position. Her extensive experience, communication, and organization skills and heartfelt love of our organization, will allow the AAOM to take it to the next level.
In closing, I want to thank all AAOM members, Board members, and workshop faculty for your dedication and contributions to helping AAOM drive its mission to Train. Treat. Transform. Together, we have made the AAOM one of the nation’s leading organizations in regenerative, functional, and structural non-surgical orthopedics. In just a few short years since the pandemic, membership has grown 509% (from 41 to 249), hosted world-class cadaver and live patient workshops, achieved financial stability, and continued to expand our reach—both nationally and internationally.
Wishing you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving and a joyful Christmas, Hanukkah, andKwanzaa season!
Mike Carlson, DO
President, AAOM
