The American Austrian Foundation (AAF) hosted a memorable evening in New York to benefit the Open Medical Institute (OMI), drawing an enthusiastic, sold-out crowd to a private club for an inspiring program titled Music forMedicine. The elegant event combined an intimate concert by members of the Vienna Philharmonic, a dinner, and a lively auction-all in support of advancing medical education around the world.
Atmosphere at american-austrian-foundation-music-for-medicine-gala (Photo by Jared Siskin/PMC/PMC)
The Open Medical Institute, a flagship program of AAF, is dedicated to providing advanced medical training to physicians who return to their home countries to share the latest clinical knowledge. In his welcoming remarks, AAF President Robert P. Wessely acknowledged the challenges facing global confidence in medical expertise, emphasizing how essential the evening’s generosity was. “The appreciation for medical expertise is under review and under attack,” he said. “We are particularly delighted that in a year when many of the resources we relied on were not available, so many of you still came forward to support this work. You have all picked up the slack, and the donations are what these programs depend on.”
Pablo Legorreta and Dr. Wolfgang Aulitzky attend American Austrian Foundation ‘Music for Medicine’ Gala at Metropolitan Club (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
OMI CEO Wolfgang Aulitzky highlighted the institute’s profound impact since launching its otology program in 1996. He shared the story of a doctor from Nigeria who studied with OMI and later wrote to say he now leads the most active cochlear implant team in the country. “In a country of more than 240 million people, that kind of development is a major step forward for patients, especially children,” Aulitzky noted.
That impact extends through OMI’s partnership with Alianza Médica para la Salud (AMDA). Chairman Pablo Legorreta shared that 5,412 doctors have participated in Salzburg seminars over the past decade. “What’s amazing,” he added, “is that we have started our own seminars in Mexico, where last year we trained over 500 Mexican doctors, as well as 118 doctors from many other countries in Latin America.”
Yamen Saadi, Bernhard Naoki Hedenborg and Sebastian Fuehrlinger attend American Austrian Foundation ‘Music for Medicine’ Gala (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
Guests enjoyed a stirring performance featuring works by Schubert and Beethoven performed by members of the Vienna Philharmonic, followed by dinner and an auction offering exclusive experiences, including a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, and attendance at the upcoming Mozart Festival in Salzburg.
Supporters in attendance included numerous AAF board members-among them Jeanne Andlinger, Mathias Bostrom, Jonathan Coleman, Margaret Crotty, William Eacho, Antonio M. Gotto, Stephen Harnik, Tom McGrath, Alexander von Perfall, Zev Rosenwaks, alongside notable guests from the arts, philanthropy, and medicine.
Michele Gerber Klein, William Ivey Long, Wolfgang Aulitzky, Barbara Tober, Jonathan Marder, Skylar Brandt, Lola Koch, Leigh Seippel, Lee Fryd, Chiara Gorodesky and Vladimir Rumyantsev attend American Austrian Foundation ‘Music for Medicine’ Gala at Metropolitan Club (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
A non-profit, non-governmental organization, AAF continues its mission to bridge global knowledge gaps through fellowships and educational programs in medicine, media, and the arts, now reaching participants from more than 130 countries worldwide.