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By Yumi Choe

When John Koncelik, D.O., ’82, speaks about medicine, he doesn’t begin with accolades or titles. He begins with honesty. “Radical honesty,” he calls it—a philosophy he’s considering trademarking, not for profit, but to spark a movement. 

“It’s not just about being honest with others,” he says. “It’s about being honest with yourself. What do you really want? What do you really value?”

That question has guided Koncelik through a career spanning over four decades in anesthesiology and medical leadership. From his early days working construction and umpiring baseball to pay for medical school, to becoming the first osteopathic resident in anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, his journey has been anything but linear. 

“I thought getting into medical school was the finish line,” he laughs. “Turns out, it was just the starting gun.”

His career has taken him from high-tech operating rooms to mission hospitals deep in the Amazon, where he once performed 93 surgeries in seven days with a volunteer team—despite lacking proper anesthesia equipment and not being able to read the medication labels. The only drugs he recognized were morphine and ketamine, and he had to improvise care in a setting where language barriers and limited resources made every procedure a test of skill and compassion. 

“Healthcare isn’t a job,” he says. “It’s a commitment. You’re not just treating bodies—you’re caring for souls.”

Koncelik’s reflections are laced with humor and humility. He once found himself in a Baltimore jail after a medical conference mishap, and laughs as he admits, “I’ve been in first class on British Airways and in a tin-roof hospital up the Amazon. It’s all part of the story.”

But beneath the anecdotes is a call to action. He challenges his peers to embrace emotional intelligence, to mentor the next generation and to confront adversity with courage and introspection. 

“We talk about IQ and EQ,” he says. “But what about your adversity quotient? How well do you navigate the hard stuff?”

Now retired and living in Macon, Georgia, Koncelik is far from finished. He’s traveling, writing and preparing to serve as an ambassador for the ������Ƶ Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine by mentoring students and participating in alumni events, such as the Tours, Tailgates and Touchdowns event this past September on Athens Campus. During that weekend, he volunteered his time to speak to the anesthesiology club, mingled with other alumni taking tours of Heritage Hall, and enjoyed cheering for the Bobcats as he watched ������Ƶ notch a win against West Virginia.

Reflecting on both his challenges and achievements, Koncelik shared that “laughter has always been the best medicine in my toolbox, but honesty, resilience and compassion—that’s the legacy I want to leave.” 

As our 2025 Medal of Merit winner, he is well on his way to creating that legacy, one smile at a time!