by
Jessica Martin
Amy Tunanidas compares herself to a mountain climber and her career to the mountain. She has packed her backpack, put on her now-famous hat and boots and is headed up the mountain again -- this time taking a different path to a different peak.
"I saw many options to reach the top of the mountain, and I looked toward the administrative and political ventures that I thought would be challenging," says Tunanidas, D.O. '82.
Embracing challenge has led Tunanidas to the top leadership position of the Ohio Osteopathic Association (OOA). Inducted as the OOA's 90th president June 21 in Cleveland, she is the first OU-COM graduate and only the third woman to direct the 1,285-member organization of osteopathic physicians and its state committees.
"I find it to be an exhilarating experience to know that I have the confidence of my peers," Tunanidas says of her new post, which includes working closely with the Ohio Legislature. Among her goals is to "increase visibility of the osteopathic profession with the government and to expand its presence with government agencies," particularly in creating health policy at the state level.
Challenges are nothing new for Tunanidas. Upon graduating from medical school, she decided to start her own private practice, a courageous step for a young graduate. Her confidence was rewarded as she maintained a successful rural family practice in Lake Milton, near Youngstown, until last year, when she decided to jump headfirst into the political waters.
Although she misses the patient contact, Tunanidas says that some of the qualities that drew her to private practice are present in her current position as well. "Becoming involved with the OOA is a bigger decision with similar risks," she says. "It's a challenge of a different sort. I am now dealing with policy-makers and have the ability to influence the future of health care and health care policies," she says.
Tunanidas, an OU-COM clinical assistant professor of family medicine, became involved with the OOA at the grass-roots level in Youngstown. "I felt that my district deserved greater visibility at the state level. You must get involved in the process to change anything. If you don't, it's like complaining about something without offering a resolution," she says.
"Being an osteopathic medical student at Ohio University made me feel that I belonged to a professional family. I wanted to be a member of that family and take part in the educational and political process. I enjoy being an advocate for physicians and patients alike at various levels."
Tunanidas is a staunch advocate for adolescent health. She has been instrumental in implementing a breast cancer awareness program at the high school level in Mahoning County. "Even though breast cancer is low incidence at this age, the impact on adolescents is designed to last a lifetime by teaching them about cancer awareness and prevention," says Tunanidas, the mother of three children -- Cynthia, 10; Stephanie, 13; and George, 14.
"Adolescents are the most forgotten and medically underserved segment of our population."
Medical school not only sparked Tunanidas' political passions, it also created the spark of romance. She met her husband, Tracy Neuendorf, D.O. '82, while a medical student at Ohio University. Neuendorf currently is chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at Youngstown Osteopathic Hospital.
Besides her OOA post, Tunanidas has reached other peaks in the profession. She was named a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Physicians in 1993 and is a fellow of the American Osteopathic Association's Certificate Program in Health Policy. She also is a diplomate of the American Board of Osteopathic Family Physicians.
