The NBOME honors R. David Henderson, JD, with NBOME Clark Award for Patient Advocacy

December 11, 2023

PHILADELPHIA, PA—The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), an independent, nonprofit organization that provides competency assessments for osteopathic medical licensure and related health care professions, honored R. David Henderson, JD, with the 2023 NBOME Clark Award for Patient Advocacy at its annual Board of Directors Meeting on December 9.

The Clark Award recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to patient safety, patient protection, and quality of care. It recognizes those who have worked to assure the public that DOs have qualified for licensure by virtue of having passed the licensure examinations (COMLEX-USA) that are designed for and have evidence for validity for the practice of osteopathic medicine. The award is named after longtime NBOME Board public member and leader in medical regulation and state medical licensure, Gary R. Clark.

Henderson most recently was chief executive officer (CEO) of the North Carolina Medical Board and has held significant roles on the North Carolina Medical Board, the North Carolina State Bar, and the North Carolina Department of Daycare Licensing. He also served as deputy counsel for the North Carolina State Bar, and was selected to serve as administrator of the Client Security Fund. He also served on numerous committees and on the Board of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB).

He joined the North Carolina Medical Board as its attorney in 1996, and later served as executive director before becoming CEO. While at the North Carolina Medical Board, Henderson served several osteopathic physician board chairs, including the first DO woman to chair that board, NBOME Board member Barbara Walker, DO. Henderson regularly advocated for osteopathic physicians and the equivalence, importance, and validity of COMLEX-USA in his roles at both the North Carolina Medical Board and the FSMB.

His leadership led the North Carolina Medical Board to excel in medical regulation, earning him recognition and awards from several national organizations. He recently retired from public service.

About the NBOME:
The NBOME is an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit assessment organization committed to protecting the public by providing the means to assess competencies for osteopathic medicine and related health care professions. NBOME’s COMLEX-USA examination series is a requirement for graduation from colleges of osteopathic medicine and provides the pathway to licensure for osteopathic physicians in the United States and numerous international jurisdictions.

MEDIA INQUIRIES
Renee Cree, MA
Director for Communications
rcree@nbome.org