Lebanon, Ore. – September 22, 2026 -- Western University of Health Sciences Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine (WesternU HCOM) hosted its second annual A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship on Aug. 29-30, 2026, training physicians in the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) for musculoskeletal treatment.
Todd Capistrant, DO, led hands-on FDM training combining online modules with supervised clinical practice
Capistrant, a Medical Director at Foundation Health Partners since 2013 and a board-certified family medicine physician, taught participants to identify fascial distortion patterns and apply introductory osteopathic manipulative treatment techniques. He emphasized that patient activity levels remain a stronger predictor of long-term health outcomes than pharmaceutical interventions for reducing heart disease, stroke, dementia and cancer risk.
The program launched three new inaugural awards recognizing osteopathic medicine leaders
Micah Thorp, DO, received the A.P. Howells, DO, Leadership Legacy in Osteopathic Medicine Award. Maggie Doe, DO, earned the Mary Howells, DO, Vanguard Women in Osteopathic Medicine Award. WesternU HCOM fourth-year student Alissa Reed was named recipient of the newly established John Stiger, DO, Student Champion of Osteopathic Medicine Award, a recognition gifted by Jocelyn Howells honoring Dr. Stiger's mentorship contributions to the field.
The lectureship honors A.P. Howells, DO, who practiced osteopathic medicine in Oregon's Willamette Valley for more than 50 years
Howells graduated from A.T. Still College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1911 and established a clinic in downtown Albany, Oregon, serving as a general practitioner performing minor surgeries, deliveries and anesthesia across surrounding towns including Lebanon, Scio and Crabtree. His sister, Mary Howells, DO, also earned her degree from A.T. Still College and practiced alongside him in Corvallis before establishing her own psychiatry practice in Portland.
The Saturday evening Shoulders of Giants Endowed Lectureship Dinner marked the first formal event combining historical recognition with the new award structure, according to WesternU HCOM Site Dean Heather Phipps, DO, MBA, FAAOS, who credited the Howells family's endowment for enabling the continued training program.