KYCOM honors esteemed physician during ceremony

Jody Johnson, D.O., was named this year’s John A. Strosnider, D.O., Memorial Lecturer at the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) Founders Dinner on September 27. The award acknowledged Johnson’s service to KYCOM and the osteopathic profession.

Established in honor of John A. Strosnider, D.O., founding dean of KYCOM, the award is presented annually. Previous recipients include G. Chad Perry III, Burlin Coleman, Bennie Ray Bailey, Paul E. Patton, William H. Owens, Terry Dotson, Harold H. “Hal” Smith, Walter E. May, William Betz, Edward G. Stiles, Steve R. Harris, Julia H. Smith, Jody Brown, and Rakesh Sachdeva.

“This dinner is about remembering our founders. The medical school we have now is really because of who started it all, Dr. Strosnider,” said Joe Kingery, D.O., MBA, FACOFP, FAAFP, dean of KYCOM. “He was a truly remarkable man. He really cared about Pikeville and medical education.”

Johnson received his medical degree from KYCOM in 2001 and was part of the inaugural graduating class of the newly renamed medical school. With more than 20 years of experience performing complex procedures, including gastrointestinal, bariatric, cancer and trauma surgeries, Johnson’s journey led him to transition to cosmetic surgery. Drawn by the desire for a more balanced lifestyle, he found fulfillment in the improved self-confidence and happiness that cosmetic enhancements bring to patients. He now resides in Louisiana and opened a new practice in June, Luxe Cosmetic Surgery, in Alexandria. 

With a vision that still holds true today, KYCOM carries the legacy of Strosnider as its guiding principle and continues to train osteopathic physicians to serve in the mountains of Appalachia and other rural areas. His impact on those who knew him lives on.