American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine President and CEO Robert A. Cain, D.O., (left) and W. Joshua Cox, D.O., executive dean on the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (right) present third-year OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine student Paul Delgado (center) with the 2024 National Student D.O. of the Year Award at the AACOM Emerging Leaders Conference.

Delgado first OSU-COM med student named AACOM’s National Student D.O. of the Year

Friday, April 19, 2024

Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine student Paul Delgado has been recognized as the National Student D.O. of the Year by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

She is also the first OSU-COM student to receive the honor.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named National Student D.O. of the Year. As a first-generation Latina and the first recipient from OSU-COM, I know I share this win with my entire community,” said Delgado, who is completing her third year of medical school.

Delgado, who was born in Oklahoma and moved to Mexico with her family as a baby, was just 6 years old when she decided she wanted to be a doctor. At 13, she moved back to Oklahoma in order to pursue her dream.

“Over the years my passion for addressing many of the health inequities that impact historically marginalized communities has driven my work and commitment to medicine.”

— Paul Delgado, OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine student and National Student D.O. of the Year

“It was difficult. I was a teenager; I didn’t speak the language. I knew my ABCs and I knew that I was going into medicine,” she said.

Her ambitions didn’t wane with time, they only became more focused.

“Over the years my passion for addressing many of the health inequities that impact historically marginalized communities has driven my work and commitment to medicine," she said.

Each year, every osteopathic medical school across the United States selects a student doctor of the year based on service to their institution, leadership skills and research experience. At OSU, medical students are nominated and then a Student Government Association selection committee chooses the OSU D.O. Student Doctor of the Year.

AACOM then selects the National Student D.O. of the Year from among the schools’ winners.

“I am so incredibly proud of Paul and her accomplishments. Her dedication to the field of medicine and her passion for meeting the health care needs of her community is inspiring. She is the embodiment of our mission at OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine — to serve the people living in rural and underserved areas of Oklahoma. She is truly deserving of this national recognition,” said Dr. Dennis Blankenship, dean of OSU-COM.

"[Paul Delgado] is the embodiment of our mission at OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine - to serve the people living in rural and underserved areas of Oklahoma. She is truly deserving of this national recognition.”

— Dr. Dennis Blankenship, Dean of OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

Delgado was working on patient charts during her psychiatry rotation in Tulsa when she received news of the award.

“I truly couldn’t believe it. I read the email and I had to read it again to make sure it was real. The first thing I did was share the screenshot with my mom, some really close friends, and a few of my OSU mentors,” she said. “I believe receiving this award translates to the power of intentionality and passion. It is also the product of mentorship and community work.”

Delgado attended AACOM’s 2024 Educating Leaders conference in Kansas City, Missouri, this week to receive the award.

After she graduates next year, Delgado plans to complete an internal medicine residency with the goal of going into cardiology — and hopefully not too far away.

“Oklahoma is home, so we’ll see what happens,” she said.