Michael Clearfield, DO
Dr. Michael Clearfield is retired as Professor and Dean Emeritus of Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo, California, a position he held from 2006 to 2021. From 1979 to 2006, Dr. Clearfield served in several capacities (Chair Department of Internal Medicine, Associate Dean for Clinical Research amongst others) at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center/Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1975 he received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He is board certified in Internal Medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Clearfield's research interests have focused on preventative heart disease, cholesterol metabolism & management, and obesity-related issues. Dr. Clearfield has published over 100 manuscripts and was the co-primary investigator for the Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study, the first large-scale randomized statin primary prevention trial in the United States. It is still the largest clinical trial ever conducted at a College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Clearfield served a decade on the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) Board of Directors and chaired the Product Committee, which developed the original blueprint resulting in the COMLEX exams. He also served on the Board and as President of the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI), the Chair of AOA Bureau/Council of Research, and the Bureau of Osteopathic Clinical Education and Research (BOCER). For a decade, he was the AOA representative to the National Cholesterol Education Program. In addition, Dr. Clearfield also served on the Board of Deans of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) from 2006-2021, where he was Chair from 2014-16. He currently serves on the Commission of Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
Dr. Clearfield was the Internist of the Year recipient in 1997 from the American College of Osteopathic Internists. He also received the Darryl A. Beehler DO Research Mentor Award, the American Osteopathic Foundation's Astra-Zeneca Healthy Heart Award, the Gutensohn-Denslow Award for outstanding contributions in research & scholarly activity, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. Other notable recognitions he received include top doctors in Internal Medicine in Fort Worth, initiation into the inaugural class of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators, Researcher of the Year from the American College of Osteopathic Internists, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California, 2018 AOA Distinguished Service Certificate and the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from his undergraduate alma mater, Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 2021, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in California.
Dr. Clearfield discloses that he has no relevant financial relationships with any organization producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients relative to the content of this presentation.
