National honors for a UNTHSC resident

September 5, 2018
Our People

Matthew Barker, DO, a fourth-year resident at UNT Health Science Center, was named the 2018 Outstanding Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Resident of the Year by two national osteopathic medical organizations.

The American Academy of Osteopathy and the American Osteopathic Foundation will honor Dr. Barker for his exemplary clinical practice, leadership and passion for the field of osteopathic medicine at an annual conference in October.

Dr. Barker is in his final year of the Family Medicine and Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine residency program, a collaboration between UNTHSC and Medical City Fort Worth.

“Dr. Barker brings a very mature and thoughtful approach to patient-centered care,” said David C. Mason, DO, UNTHSC Interim Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Medical City Fort Worth Family Medicine and Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Residency Director. “When visiting with patients he listens well and counsels them with a rational, very likable demeanor. Patients constantly comment on how much they trust him and enjoy seeing him as their doctor.”

Dr. Barker, who previously served as chief resident for two years, said he was drawn to the residency because it combined family medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine into a four-year integrated training experience. He earned his medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif.

“We have exemplary family medicine and OMM providers at the Health Science Center with diversified experience,” Dr. Barker said. “Learning from each one of them has been a critical part of taking me to where I am today. I couldn’t ask for a better place to develop my skills as a physician.”

UNTHSC also offers innovative research opportunities and facilities to help advance evidence-based medicine, Dr. Barker said. He is working on a research project with faculty members Kendi Hensel, DO, PhD, and Rita Patterson, PhD, investigating how OMM can impact gait and balance in people with Parkinson’s disease.

After completing his residency in June, Dr. Barker plans to remain in North Texas with his wife and their 3-year-old daughter. In 2017, Dr. Barker started his own innovative medical practice called Mobile Osteopathy, P.A., offering holistic treatment, including OMM. He treats patients in their homes in Dallas-Fort Worth and in a clinic setting in the Midland-Odessa area.

The demand for holistic medicine is high as patients are looking for more natural ways to treat pain and other medical conditions, he said.

“I am honored to receive the Outstanding OMM Resident of the Year award and to represent UNT Health Science Center and Medical City Fort Worth,” Dr. Barker said. “I’m looking forward to continue practicing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and helping my patients live healthier lives.”

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