OSTERGAARD, Dr Daniel J : WONCA North America region President 2010-2013
USA
Dr Dan Ostergaard became President of the WONCA North American Region, in May 2010, and served through June 2013. As such, he was a member of the World WONCA Executive Committee and he was previously as chair of the WONCA Bylaws & Regulations Committee from 2001-2010. He has been actively involved in WONCA since 1995, having served as chair of various committees and subsequently as an unpaid organizational development consultant to the WONCA Executive Committee.
Dr Ostergaard has been a professional employee of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for over 30 years. His current position is vice president for health of the public and interprofessional activities, and he previously served in other vice president capacities including that of vice president for education and science.
As vice president for health of the public and interprofessional activities, he has oversight responsibilities for health of the public, scientific and research activities of the AAFP as well as the AAFP’s relationships with other medical organizations in the United States and abroad. Through these relationships, he helps facilitate the continued development of family medicine globally and coordinates AAFP international activities. Professional staff in his area work to involve family physicians in targeted public health activities, including tobacco, obesity, exercise and immunization. Related responsibilities include development of clinical policies and development and dissemination of practice-based primary care research.
As vice president, Dr Ostergaard also helps direct organization-wide strategy and policy development activities in addition to participating actively in the activities of the AAFP Board of Directors. He is based in the AAFP’s headquarters office in Leawood, Kansas.
In his travels to more than 60 countries, he has presented a wide variety of papers in multiple countries and has served in many international consultative capacities. He has numerous publications to his credit and has served as visiting professor in several states. Among his awards are: the 2000 Gabriel Smilkstein Memorial Award of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine for outstanding contributions to the growth and development of family medicine education throughout the world; and the 2001 AAFP Humanitarian Award honoring his extraordinary and enduring humanitarian efforts both within and beyond the borders of the United States. In 1998, he was awarded honorary life membership in WONCA. In 2005, Heart to Heart International awarded him its Heart for Humanity Award.
Dr Ostergaard received his Bachelor of Arts degree in natural sciences and psychology from the University of North Dakota. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine in Dallas. In addition to clinical practice in the United States Public Health Service in New Mexico, Dr Ostergaard served as director of the Family Medicine Residency in Duluth, Minnesota and was a faculty member of the University of Minnesota School of Medicine.