Osteopathic Physicians Expand Their Reach in Sports Medicine, Global Eye Care and Research
Osteopathic medicine continues to make an impact across a broad range of settings, from collegiate athletic programs and community practices to international humanitarian missions and academic research conferences. Three recent developments illustrate how physicians with DO degrees are contributing their expertise in patient care, education, research and service.
At Oklahoma State University, Jesse Shaw, DO, has been appointed as a team physician for OSU Athletics, where he will help support the health and performance of student athletes while also helping train future sports medicine specialists. In Michigan, ophthalmologist Ralph Crew, DO, has completed his 50th volunteer medical mission, providing cataract and other eye surgeries for patients in communities with limited access to care. Meanwhile, the osteopathic manipulative medicine research community will gather in La Jolla, California, for the 2026 Conference on Osteopathic Research & Knowledge, known as CORK.
Together, these developments demonstrate the diverse ways osteopathic physicians are applying clinical skills and advancing their profession.
Jesse Shaw, DO, Joins OSU Athletics as Team Physician
Oklahoma State University Medicine has named Jesse Shaw, DO, as a new team physician for OSU Athletics. In this role, Dr. Shaw will take part in overseeing the health, safety and performance needs of the university’s student athletes.
The position places him within a collaborative network of professionals responsible for supporting athletes throughout their collegiate experience. Student athletes often face demanding schedules that combine academic responsibilities, training, competition, travel and recovery. Their care requires attention not only to injuries, but also to overall physical conditioning, behavioral health, return-to-play decisions and long-term well-being.
Dr. Shaw said the opportunity to work within an integrated support system was a major reason he was drawn to the role.
“This is an amazing chance to not only work with OSU’s incredible student athletes, but also the university’s coaches and support staff and OSU Medicine’s athletic trainers, physician assistants, behavioral medicine physicians and other sports medicine staff,” he said.
His appointment reflects the importance of a team-based model in sports medicine. Successful athletic health programs depend on communication between physicians, athletic trainers, rehabilitation professionals, coaches and other members of a student athlete’s support network. Such coordination can help ensure that athletes receive timely evaluations, appropriate treatment and individualized plans for recovery and safe participation.
A Career Built on High-Level Sports Medicine Experience
Dr. Shaw arrives at OSU with experience caring for athletes and other high-performance populations. He is board-certified in both sports medicine and family medicine with osteopathic manipulative treatment. His professional background includes work with Division I collegiate athletes, Olympic athletes and military special forces.
This range of experience is especially relevant in a collegiate athletics environment, where physicians must be prepared to address both acute injuries and the broader medical concerns that can affect athletic performance. Sports medicine care may involve evaluating musculoskeletal conditions, developing injury-prevention strategies, managing illnesses during competitive seasons and guiding athletes through the often complex process of rehabilitation.
Dr. Shaw earned his osteopathic medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. After medical school, he served as a medical officer in the United States Navy, primarily supporting special forces, including Navy SEAL teams.
Caring for military special forces personnel requires an understanding of the physical demands placed on individuals operating in high-pressure environments. These responsibilities can include helping service members remain healthy and prepared while also making careful decisions when injuries or medical concerns arise. The experience can provide valuable insight into performance, resilience and recovery—areas that also have significance in competitive athletics.
After his Navy service, Dr. Shaw completed a sports medicine fellowship at Auburn University. He went on to care for student athletes at Auburn and later at Washington State University. His experience in major collegiate programs gives him familiarity with the challenges and expectations that can come with providing medical support to athletes competing at the Division I level.
Bringing Osteopathic Principles Into Athletic Care
As an osteopathic physician with training in osteopathic manipulative treatment, Dr. Shaw brings an additional perspective to sports medicine. Osteopathic medicine emphasizes the relationship between body structure and function, along with the importance of treating patients as whole individuals.
In an athletic setting, that perspective can be particularly useful. Sports-related injuries do not occur in isolation from the rest of a person’s health. An athlete’s sleep, conditioning, nutrition, mental well-being, prior injuries and biomechanics can all influence performance and recovery. A comprehensive approach considers these overlapping factors rather than focusing solely on a single symptom or injured body part.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment may be part of the clinical toolkit for some patients, depending on their condition and overall care needs. In the broader setting of sports medicine, this approach can complement other evidence-based tools, including rehabilitation, exercise planning, diagnostic evaluation and collaborative specialty care.
Dr. Shaw’s dual board certification in family medicine and sports medicine also reflects the wide scope of care often required in athletics. While sprains, fractures and overuse injuries may be among the most visible concerns, student athletes need physicians who can recognize and manage general medical issues as well. Family medicine training provides a foundation for caring for patients across a range of health needs, while sports medicine adds specialized expertise in activity-related injury and performance concerns.
An Educational Role at OSU Medicine
In addition to his work with OSU Athletics, Dr. Shaw will serve as a clinical assistant professor of sports medicine. He will help provide training and mentorship in OSU Medicine’s new sports medicine fellowship.
This educational responsibility adds another dimension to his appointment. Fellowship programs play an important role in preparing physicians for advanced clinical practice. Sports medicine fellows typically learn through direct patient care, supervision, case discussions and exposure to the multidisciplinary systems that support athletes and active patients.
Mentorship from physicians with experience in collegiate athletics, military medicine and high-level sports care can help fellows understand the practical demands of the field. Beyond diagnosing injuries, sports medicine specialists must often communicate clearly with patients, families, trainers, coaches and other clinicians. They may need to assess risk, explain treatment options and make difficult recommendations about participation and recovery.
Dr. Shaw is also a fellow of the American Osteopathic College of Family Physicians and the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine. In addition to his clinical work, he has experience as a researcher and published author.
His combination of clinical, academic and research experience aligns with the expanding needs of sports medicine education. As medical knowledge grows, training programs benefit from faculty members who can connect patient care with current evidence and ongoing inquiry.
Dr. Shaw described OSU’s culture as another source of enthusiasm for his new role.
“OSU’s culture of family and its team approach to caring for our student athletes is what drew me to the position,” he said. “I can’t wait to contribute to that culture and be part of the Cowboy family.”
Ralph Crew, DO, Reaches a Humanitarian Milestone
While Dr. Shaw’s work will focus on student athletes in Oklahoma, Ralph Crew, DO, has spent nearly three decades extending eye care to patients around the world.
Dr. Crew, an ophthalmologist based in Michigan, recently completed his 50th volunteer medical mission trip. Over the course of these missions, he has provided cataract removal surgeries and other ophthalmic procedures to patients in developing nations.
The milestone represents years of sustained volunteer service. His work has brought him to countries across Latin America, Africa and Asia, where access to specialized eye care may be limited. His most recent mission, which marked his 50th trip, took him to Dominica, a small island in the Caribbean.
“You start doing something, and you just keep on doing it. All of a sudden, you’re at 50,” Dr. Crew told The Pioneer, his local newspaper.
The comment captures the cumulative nature of long-term humanitarian work. A single trip can have a meaningful effect for individual patients, but repeated missions over many years can create an even broader impact. In addition to performing surgeries, Dr. Crew has worked to train local physicians, helping strengthen care capacity in the communities he visits.
Restoring Sight Through Cataract Surgery
Dr. Crew is an American Osteopathic Association board-certified ophthalmologist. In 1990, he became the first ophthalmologist to establish a practice in Big Rapids, Michigan. In addition to cataract surgery, he specializes in glaucoma treatment.
Cataracts are a major cause of vision impairment worldwide. They occur when the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy, making it more difficult for light to pass through clearly. For patients whose cataracts significantly affect vision, surgery can be life-changing.
The procedure generally involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Although cataract surgery is common in the United States, access to the procedure is not universal. In communities with fewer medical resources, patients may live for years with vision loss that could be treated through surgery.
For people who have difficulty seeing, the effects can reach far beyond eyesight alone. Reduced vision can limit a person’s ability to work, care for family members, travel safely, attend school or manage daily tasks independently. Restoring sight can therefore affect a patient’s confidence, mobility and quality of life.
Dr. Crew emphasized the immediate and personal significance of this work.
“We’re blessed that we can help people,” he told The Pioneer. “You can change someone’s life in 15 or 20 minutes.”
The statement reflects a central feature of cataract surgery: a relatively short procedure can produce a dramatic change in a patient’s daily experience. For physicians on mission trips, that possibility can be both a professional responsibility and a powerful source of motivation.
The Logistics Behind Volunteer Eye Surgery Missions
International medical missions require far more than clinical expertise. Dr. Crew noted that these efforts depend on donated medical supplies and extensive planning. Each location has its own patient population, available facilities, staffing circumstances and logistical challenges.
A volunteer surgical team may need to work with limited equipment, adapt to unfamiliar clinical environments and prepare for patients with a wide variety of needs. Transporting supplies, setting up surgical areas, coordinating with local professionals and determining which patients can safely undergo procedures all require careful organization.
One mission to Honduras demonstrated both the need for care and the scale of work that a well-prepared team can accomplish. During five days, Dr. Crew and his team completed more than 250 surgeries. Those procedures included 198 cataract surgeries and 57 pterygium surgeries.
A pterygium is a growth of tissue on the surface of the eye that can cause irritation and, in some cases, affect vision. Treating both cataracts and pterygium during missions allows teams to address different forms of eye disease that may interfere with patients’ comfort and sight.
The numbers from the Honduras trip are significant, but they also represent individual people whose lives may have been changed by access to treatment. Every surgical case involves an assessment, a procedure and follow-up care, as well as a patient who has likely been living with a visual limitation that affected daily life.
Learning From Differences in Global Access to Care
Through his decades of travel, Dr. Crew has observed a sharp difference between the resources available in the United States and those available in many developing countries.
In the U.S., patients often have access to specialized ophthalmologists, modern surgical centers, diagnostic equipment and a broad supply of medications and devices. These resources do not eliminate every barrier to care, but they create a clinical environment very different from the one encountered in many underserved communities around the world.
Volunteer mission work highlights the value of the health care infrastructure that can be taken for granted in more resource-rich settings. It also shows how much need remains when patients lack access to routine examinations, timely surgery and specialized treatment.
Dr. Crew’s work has included training local physicians, an especially important component of sustainable medical service. Visiting teams may provide immediate care during a mission, but sharing knowledge with clinicians who remain in the community can help strengthen local capacity over time.
The lasting effect of humanitarian work often depends on this combination: meeting urgent patient needs while also supporting the clinicians and health systems that will continue caring for the population after the visiting team leaves.
CORK 2026 Will Focus on OMM Research and Clinical Questions
The future of osteopathic medicine also depends on research, education and the continued study of clinical practices. That focus will be central to the 2026 Conference on Osteopathic Research & Knowledge, or CORK.
CORK will take place September 9-10, 2026, at the Scripps Seaside Forum in La Jolla, California. The event is hosted by the University of San Diego Centers for Integrative Health.
The two-day conference will bring together researchers, physicians and medical students from across the osteopathic manipulative medicine community. It is designed to provide opportunities for scientific exchange, professional development and collaboration among people working to expand the evidence base related to OMM.
This year’s event will highlight the connection between real-world clinical practice and meaningful research. Questions arising from patient care can help guide the development of rigorous studies. In turn, research findings can inform clinical thinking, identify areas where more investigation is needed and support a clearer shared understanding of best practices.
Why Research Matters in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Osteopathic manipulative medicine is an area where strong research is especially important. Physicians, patients, educators and health systems all benefit from a clearer understanding of when particular approaches are appropriate, how they may be used alongside other treatments and what outcomes can be expected for different patient populations.
Clinical observations often provide the starting point for research. A physician may notice patterns in how patients present, respond to treatment or experience recovery. Those observations can lead to questions that researchers investigate through structured methods.
CORK 2026 will emphasize how clinical practice can lead to clearer research questions, more rigorous methodology and a unified framework for the OMM research community. These goals are interconnected. Clear questions make it easier to design studies that can provide useful answers. Rigorous methods improve confidence in the results. A shared research framework can help investigators compare findings, identify gaps and build knowledge over time.
For students and early-career physicians, conferences such as CORK can also offer exposure to the research process. Scientific presentations and interactive sessions can introduce attendees to current work in the field while showing how research ideas develop into projects, publications and future lines of inquiry.
A Forum for Collaboration Across the Osteopathic Community
CORK is expected to include interactive sessions, scientific presentations and opportunities for participants to connect with colleagues from around the country. Both in-person and virtual attendance options are available, expanding access for those who may not be able to travel to California.
Conferences serve an important purpose beyond the presentation of research results. They allow people with different experiences and perspectives to discuss shared questions. A clinician may bring insights from patient care, while a researcher may offer expertise in study design or data analysis. Medical students may contribute fresh perspectives and develop relationships that shape future academic careers.
This kind of exchange can be particularly valuable in a field that spans clinical practice, medical education and scientific investigation. By bringing together members of the OMM community, CORK creates an environment where ideas can be challenged, refined and advanced.
American Osteopathic Association Category 1-A continuing medical education credit is anticipated for the conference. The availability of continuing education recognizes the value of keeping clinicians informed about emerging evidence and evolving discussions within their field.
A Shared Commitment to Care, Service and Discovery
The appointments, milestones and events involving Dr. Shaw, Dr. Crew and CORK 2026 reflect different dimensions of osteopathic medicine’s expanding reach.
At Oklahoma State University, a physician with experience in collegiate athletics, Olympic sports and military special forces will help care for student athletes while contributing to a new sports medicine fellowship. His role underscores the need for comprehensive, collaborative care in high-performance environments.
Through 50 volunteer medical missions, Dr. Crew has helped restore sight to patients who may otherwise have had little access to cataract surgery and specialized ophthalmic care. His work demonstrates how a medical career can extend beyond a local practice to create an enduring global humanitarian impact.
In California, CORK 2026 will bring together those seeking to advance osteopathic manipulative medicine through research, discussion and professional connection. The conference will focus on the questions that arise from clinical practice and the methods needed to answer them responsibly.
Whether caring for an injured athlete, restoring vision during an overseas surgical mission or examining evidence that can guide future treatment, osteopathic physicians continue to contribute in settings where skilled, patient-centered care is needed.
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