The American Austrian Foundation hosted a memorable evening in New York for The Open Medical Institute, bringing together philanthropy, world-class music, and a shared mission to advance global medical education. Held at a private club and titled Music for Medicine, the sold-out event featured an intimate concert by members of the Vienna Philharmonic, followed by dinner and a lively auction.
The evening highlighted the transformative impact of OMI’s work, which provides advanced training to physicians who return to their home countries equipped with the latest medical knowledge. President of AAF, Robert P. Wessely, addressed guests with heartfelt gratitude. “The appreciation for medical expertise is under review and under attack, so 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,” he said. “You have all picked up the slack, and the donations are what these programs depend on.”
OMI CEO Wolfgang Aulitzky reflected on the organization’s longstanding commitment to closing global healthcare gaps. “We began the otology program in 1996 to introduce technologies that were not available to many physicians, including sinus surgery and cochlear implantation,” he shared. He recounted the story of a doctor from Nigeria who trained with OMI and later wrote to report that he now leads the most active cochlear implant team in the nation. “In a country of more than 240 million people, that kind of development is a major step forward for patients, especially children.”
The partnership between OMI and Alianza Médica para la Salud continues to amplify this impact across Latin America. AMDA Chairman Pablo Legorreta noted that 5,412 doctors have benefited from Salzburg seminars over the past decade. “What is amazing is that we have started our own seminars in Mexico, where last year we trained more than 500 Mexican doctors and 118 doctors from many other countries in Latin America.”
The cultural centerpiece of the evening was a performance by members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, who offered a stirring program of Schubert and Beethoven. Afterward, guests enjoyed dinner and an auction featuring items such as a curated trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, and exclusive access to the upcoming Mozart Festival in Salzburg.
The event drew an enthusiastic circle of supporters. Guests included AAF board members Jeanne Andlinger, Mathias Bostrom, Jonathan Coleman, Margaret Crotty, William Eacho, Antonio M. Gotto, Stephen Harnik, Tom McGrath, Alexander von Perfall, Zev Rosenwaks, Peter Schlegel, Cynthia Sculco, Robert Seber, Michael Stewart, Barbara Tober, and Nancy Wolf. Additional attendees included Skylar Brandt and Vladimir Rumyantsev, Katharine Eltz-Aulitzky, Barbara Friedman, Chiara Gorodesky, Michael and Diane Kellen, Michele Gerber Klein, Lola Abigail Koch, William Ivey Long, Ashley von Perfall, and Samuel H. Selesnick.
The American Austrian Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to bridging the global knowledge gap by providing fellowships for postgraduate education in medicine, media, and the arts. What began as a bilateral exchange program has grown to include participants from more than 130 countries. The foundation runs its own initiatives and partners with American, Austrian, and international organizations to broaden its reach and impact.
For more information, visit americanaustrianfoundation.org.
