This year, the AOF is proud to present this award to a promising leader, educator, and advocate: Edith N. Waskel, OMS IV.

Currently a fourth-year student at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP), Student Doctor Waskel is active in leadership on the local and national levels. Notably, she was elected the 2020-2021 Student Representative on the AOA Board of Trustees. Additionally, her roles within the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) have included National Community Outreach Director, National Liaison Officer, and a member of its Overdose Prevention Task Force, earning her SOMA’s National Excellence in Promoting Osteopathic Medicine Award in 2018.

David A. Connett, DO, Vice Dean at COMP, calls Student Doctor Waskel “a delightful student, one of outstanding character, extremely hard worker, and highly intelligent.” In recognition of her academic achievements, Student Doctor Waskel received COMP’s NMM/OMM Pre-Doctoral Teaching Fellowship. This program extends medical school to five years; the extra year is spent teaching first- and second-year medical students in OPP.

Equally dedicated to her community, Student Doctor Waskel has volunteered on many service projects ranging from outreach and medical care for low-income and homeless populations to fundraising, coordinating health fairs, and international medical mission work.