Live Still Point / Oct 2014 7
TCOM Chapter
By: Anthony Handoyo
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without
roots.” - Marcus Garvey
Traditionally, martial artists based the legitimacy of their teachings by how closely they could
trace their lineage back to the original Master. The idea was that the closer one’s teachings
were to the Grandmaster, the less dilute their martial art was, as subsequent teachers of the
art would add to or possibly lose sight of what the original Master intended the art to be.
Here in Ft. Worth, students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine have the incredible
resource of The Dallas Osteopathic Study Group (DOSG), the longest running study group of its
kind in the nation. Run by Dr. Conrad Speece, D.O. and his two daughters, Connie and Carrie
Speece, D.O., the DOSG provides all who participate to learn the teachings and philosophy
of Dr. Still as close as you can get to the source. Dr. Speece traces his lineage of Osteopathic
training back to Dr. Rollin Becker, D.O. and John Harakel, D.O., who studied directly under Dr.
Sutherland, who studied directly under A. T. Still, M.D., D.O., the founder of Osteopathy.
It is through this medium that TCOM students can further and advance their osteopathic
training beyond what is possible in the classroom or OMM lab. Through the DOSG, young
students can learn the original philosophy and teachings of Dr. Still unmarred by years of
standardized teachings or techniques. It is widely known that Dr. Still purposefully did not write
any techniques down as he believed that through a functional understanding of the anatomy
and Osteopathic philosophy, the trained Osteopath can manipulate and treat any somatic
dysfunction that walks through his door.
Through the DOSG, our students have also been exposed to a different approach and view of
somatic dysfunction than what is commonly experienced in the school setting. Instead of trying
to fix or treat a somatic dysfunction The Speeces constantly remind participants that the point
of OMT is to remove dysfunction and allow the body to heal itself.
“Learning is never cumulative, it is a movement of knowing which has no beginning and no
end.” - Bruce Lee
The atmosphere of the DOSG is that of a continuous learning process. Growing in our
Osteopathic skills requires constant practice and experience, of which there is no end. With
each patient and each treatment, a student’s mind and hands are constantly learning how
different tissues, dysfunctions, and bodies respond to manipulation. Another privilege of
training with the DOSG is the many different minds that come together each month to share
their experience, what they feel with their hands, and their wisdom as they, themselves,
continue to learn and grow in Osteopathy. The DOSG allows Osteopathic medical students
to network and form relationships with the many D.Os in the DFW area and learn from many
different teachers who are all grounded in the fundamental philosophy of Dr. Still. The DOSG
also teaches an annual Ligamentous Articular Strain Seminar to which it supplies Osteopathic
medical students with scholarships in order to attend and further their Osteopathic education
outside of the school.
Just as Dr. Still was constantly learning from his students, patients, and cadavers, so we at SAAO
and the DOSG constantly strive to continue learning and training our hands in order to treat
and heal all of the people we have the pleasure of treating.