Dr. Frank Filipetto honored as the AOF 2026 Educator of the Year
Frank A. Filipetto, DO, CPPS, CPHFH, FACOFP, a distinguished faculty member at UNT
Health Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and a leader in osteopathic
medicine, has been chosen as the American Osteopathic Foundation’s 2026 Educator of
the Year. The award, one of the Foundation’s highest honors, will be presented to
Dr. Filipetto at the AOF Honors Gala on Friday, October 23, 2026, in Las Vegas in
conjunction with the American Osteopathic Association’s annual OMED conference. Dr.
Filipetto is the third faculty member from TCOM to receive the award and the second
in the last three years, as Dr. David Mason was the recipient in 2024 and Dr. Bruce
Dubin in 2007.
“Dr. Filipetto's selection as AOF's 2026 Educator of the Year reflects his extraordinary
leadership and lasting impact on Osteopathic medical education," said Seger Morris,
DO, MBA, AOF president-elect. "His work has advanced graduate medical education and
patient safety while demonstrating how physician-educators can strengthen healthcare
through visionary leadership."
A board-certified family physician, Filipetto embodies the qualities this award was
established to celebrate: Lifelong service, compassionate leadership, and a lasting
impact on learners, institutions, and the patients they ultimately serve. Over a distinguished
career spanning more than three decades, he has contributed to Osteopathic medical
education as a faculty member, residency program leader, department chair, academic
dean, and, ultimately, dean of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. Throughout
these roles, he has mentored thousands of students and residents and has centered
his teaching and practice on his deep commitment to patient safety.
“Dr. Filipetto has meant so much to TCOM, our mission, and our students, and I’m incredibly
proud that the AOF has chosen him to receive this award,” said Lisa R. Nash, DO, MS-HPEd,
FAAFP, vice president of clinical affairs and dean at TCOM. “He has been a trailblazer
in the field of patient safety, bringing it to the forefront in medicine and making
it a priority in medical education. His legacy as a leader in Osteopathic Medicine
will last a lifetime, as he is the embodiment of what we all want in medical education.
The AOF could not have chosen a better recipient than Dr. Filipetto.”
Filipetto is an alumnus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has
served on the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Deans,
the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, and numerous accreditation, assessment,
and curriculum committees. He is also a Certified Professional in Patient Safety.
"We are honored to recognize Dr. Filipetto as AOF's 2026 Educator of the Year and
look forward to celebrating his achievements at the AOF Honors Gala this October,"
said Rita Forden, chief executive officer of the American Osteopathic Foundation.
"Throughout his career, Dr. Filipetto has inspired generations of physicians through
his leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to excellence in Osteopathic
medical education. It is our privilege to recognize an educator whose service so clearly
reflects the Foundation's mission."
Established in 1997, the AOF’s Educator of the Year award recognizes the role educators play in the development of osteopathic medical students, residents, and the profession. The AOF Educator of the Year Award recognizes one Osteopathic professional who has dedicated at least ten years to medical education and demonstrated their commitment to uphold and raise the standards of Osteopathic medical education.