As president of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) in 1969-1970, Sara “Sally” Sutton, D.O.’53, raised some eyebrows when she invited two DMU students to attend the AAO annual convocation. The unprecedented move also raised interest among students of the nation’s then-five osteopathic campuses, prompting the AAO board to allow students to attend the event if they paid tuition to do so. Now, more students than graduate physicians attend the convocation, eager to learn osteopathic manual medicine (OMM) and muscle energy technique from experienced and often famous doctors.
That’s just one way Sutton has opened doors to help students learn the art and techniques of osteopathic medicine. She served as associate professor of family practice at DMU from 1990 to 1995. In addition, for years she’s opened her own door, literally, inviting students to enjoy a home-cooked lunch and then practice OMM in her home.
For her mentoring and longtime medical practice, in 2011 Sutton received the Mentor of the Year Award, sponsored by the American Osteopathic Association, the American Osteopathic Foundation and Pfizer. In May 2013 the DMU Board of Trustees, on which she served for 25 years, elected her to receive the Pioneer in Osteopathy Award.
Doubly certified in family practice and osteopathic manipulation, Sutton continues to teach students once a month in her Des Moines home, and she supports their learning in another way: She has given DMU permanent rights to republish and sell her cookbook, Dr. Sally’s Cookbook, With and Without Sin, a collection of more than 800 of her favorite recipes, many from family members, friends and patients. She has specified that all proceeds generated by sales of her cookbook be designated for the Student Academy of Osteopathy at DMU to help pay student-members’ expenses to attend the AAO annual convocation.
To purchase a copy of the book, visit www.dmu.edu/cookbook.
