Sheldon Yao received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) in 2002. He completed his internship and family practice residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, N.Y., and afterwards completed a one-year fellowship in neuromuscular medicine-osteopathic manipulative medicine (NMM/OMM) at North Shore-LIJ Plainview Hospital (N.Y.). He is dual-board certified in family medicine/osteopathic manipulative treatment and NMM/OMM.
Yao serves as chair of the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. He joined the OMM department in July 2006 and provides osteopathic family medical care at the school’s health centers. Applying his OMM training, he addresses structural problems that may be preventing his patients from achieving optimal health and function. Yao has special interest in treating patients with Parkinson’s disease and musculoskeletal issues, such as scoliosis, neck and back pain, and sports injuries.
He actively participates in teaching medical students in the classroom and in clinical settings, which students have acknowledged through teaching awards since 2010. Yao is passionate about the osteopathic profession and stresses evidence-based medicine when teaching his students. He is the principal investigator in several research studies investigating the effects of OMM, Parkinson’s disease, and concussions. In addition, Yao has published articles and created a website documenting the effects of osteopathic medicine on clinical disease.
He is a member of the Board of Governors on the American Academy of Osteopathy. Yao also serves on the Osteopathic Principles and Practice COMAT committee for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and was awarded the 2014 Item Writer of the Year. Lastly, he serves as a reviewer for the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
Recent Projects and Research
- Effect of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine on Motor Function, Balance, and Neuroprotective Serum Markers in Parkinson Disease
- Comparing the Effect of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine OMM vs. Counseling in the Treatment of Concussion
- Patient-Reported Adverse Events from Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
- Physician Variation in the application of lymphatic techniques
Publications
- Donoghue JD, de Vries K, Apoznanski T, Mancini J, Yao SC. “Osteopathic Manipulation as a Complementary Approach to Parkinson’s Disease: A Controlled Pilot Study” DOI: 10.3233/NRE-161400 Published online: October 31, 2016, NeuroRehabilitation, vol. Preprint, no. Preprint, pp. 1-7, 2016
- Hastings V, McCallister AM, Curtis SA, Valant RJ, Yao S. Efficacy of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Management of Postpartum Pain. J Am Osteopath Assoc 2016;116(8):502-509. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2016.103.
- Guernsey DT, Leder A, Yao S. Resolution of Concussion Symptoms After Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: A Case Report. J Am Osteopath Assoc 2016;116(3):e13-e17. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2016.036.
- Snider KT, Dowling DJ, Seffinger MA, Channell MK, Yao SC, Gustowski SM, Johnson JC,Martin Pryor JM. “Effect of Table Trainer Ratios on the Outcomes of Student Assessments of Cervical Muscle Energy Techniques”. J Am Osteopath Assoc 2015;115(9):556-564.
- Yao SC, Hassani J, Gagne M, George G, Gilliar W. “Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment As A Useful Adjunctive Tool For Pneumonia” J. Vis. Exp. (87), e50687, doi:10.3791/50687 (2014)
Honors and Awards
- AOA Grant Award 2016, OMED, Anaheim, CA, 9/18/2016
- NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine Award for Excellence in Teaching (Clinical Sciences), Class of 2010, 2014, 2016
- NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine Preceptor of the Year Award for Excellence in Teaching, Class of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015
- 2015 Attending Osteopathic Family Physician Journal (OFP) Paper of the Year Award National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners 2014 Item Writer of the Year for COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles and Practices
- Featured in Who’s Who in Healthcare–Long Island Business News, 2014
- Standard of Excellence Award, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, Convocation, 2008
Courses Taught at New York Tech
- Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
- Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Preceptorship Elective (fourth-year clinical rotation)