Commencement Speaker

John J. Koncelik, D.O., is a highly respected physician leader, medical educator and innovator in the field of anesthesiology. As a proud 1982 graduate of Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, he has devoted his life to furthering not only the field of medicine but the education of countless medical students.

After paying his way through medical school by working construction and umpiring baseball, Koncelik broke ground by becoming the first osteopathic anesthesiology resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. This was just the first of many transformative impacts he's had on the profession over his four-decade career, during which he held influential leadership positions across the country, allowing him to shape clinical systems and standards of care.

He is a nationally recognized expert in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols, and has helped drive advances in patient recovery, opioid-sparing practices and operating room efficiency. Ever the advocate for education and research, he served as the principal investigator for more than a dozen clinical trials and as an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Koncelik has shared his expertise on national and international stages, including presenting before the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Irish Society of Anesthesia.

In addition to his D.O. from the Heritage College, Koncelik earned a B.S. from Ohio Wesleyan University, an M.S. from Nova Southeastern University and most recently, an M.B.A. from the Jack Welch Management Institute in 2023.

Koncelik is now retired and living in Macon, Georgia, though he remains involved in medicine by serving as a mentor to Heritage College students. In 2025, he was awarded the Society of Alumni and Friends 2025 Medal of Merit.