By: Sedora Tantraphol
Mary Jo Hughes, D.O., and John W. Sealey, D.O., both accomplished faculty with the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and leaders in the field of osteopathic medicine, have been named as the recipients of the 2021 Walter F. Patenge Medal of Public Service award. This highest honor from the college—named for Walter F. Patenge, the first president of the Michigan Osteopathic Medicine Advisory Board—is awarded in recognition of their lifelong devotion to patient care, service to the community, leadership within the osteopathic profession and excellence in the classroom and clinic.
With 38 years of clinical and academic experience in the field, Mary Jo Hughes, D.O., FACEP, FACOEP-Dist, has well earned this esteemed award. She is a practicing emergency medicine physician at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sparrow Health System and McLaren Greater Lansing. She has served as the American Council of Learned Societies director, a Basic Life Support director, program director, course coordinator, faculty adviser and chairperson within the college as well. Recently, Hughes was reappointed as chair of Osteopathic Medical Specialties through 2025. For 34 years, she served as the Osteopathic Emergency Medicine Program Director of the Sparrow/MSU Emergency Medicine Residency. Her research and scholarly pursuits have included collaborative work on various aspects of pulmonary emboli and rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases.
John W. Sealey, D.O., FACOS, is a passionate and dedicated educator and is engaged with many professional associations. An MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate in 1976, he has served as president of the Michigan Osteopathic Association, where he expanded continuing medical education to include alternative medicine. Other affiliations include the National Osteopathic Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine OME & VA Academic Affiliations Task Force and many others. For more than 30 years, Sealey was a clinical associate professor within the college and coordinated student clinical rotations at Detroit Medical Center. He is currently the associate dean of clinical medicine at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Due to extended pandemic safety precautions, in lieu of an in-person ceremony, Hughes and Sealey will be recognized through a video tribute on May 11, along with the 2020 winners: Kenneth Elmassian, D.O., FASA; Kari A. Hortos, D.O., FAODME; Kris T. Nicholoff and Lawrence L. Prokop, D.O., FAAPM&R, FAOCPMR-D, FAOASM, FAADEP, which will be shared on the college’s website and social media channels.
See the video tribute here.