AACOM Advocacy Day

Advocate for OME!

Thank you for joining us for Advocacy Day 2024, September 11 and 12, as osteopathic deans, students, faculty members and physicians advocated for osteopathic medical education (OME) federal policy priorities. AACOM Advocacy Day 2024 featured Members of Congress, congressional staff, government relations professionals and AACOM’s Government Relations team presenting on the congressional landscape, effective advocacy tools and AACOM’s federal policy priorities. Participants attended live virtual sessions and urged their Members of Congress to elevate OME priorities by participating in coordinated calls to action. The event was held virtually and was open to all members of the OME community.

Advocacy Day Agenda

September 11, 2024, 1:00-3:00 PM ET

1:00 PM ET: Opening Remarks
Robert A. Cain, DO, AACOM President and CEO

Sen. Shelly Capito (R-WV), US Senate

Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), US House of Representatives

Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA), US House of Representatives

1:15 PM ET: Advocacy Essentials: Training and Policy Briefing
AACOM Government Relations

1:45 PM ET: Advocacy That Works: A Blueprint for Success
AACOM Government Relations

2:00 PM ET: The Capitol Simulation: A Mock Congressional Meeting
Brittany Hernandez, Executive Vice President, Crossroads Strategies
Sarah Donovan, Senior Policy Advisor, Venable LLP
AACOM Government Relations

2:40 PM ET: Advocacy Platform Overview and Q&A
AACOM Government Relations

September 12, 2024

Congressional Meetings and Grassroots Advocacy

Go to the AACOM Action Center to tell Congress to:

• Support the FAIR Act 
• Fund Community-based Clinical Rotations
  
• Sign the letter to the National Institutes of Health on Osteopathic Research
  

Use our Advocacy Day Social Media Toolkit to download graphics, share messages and advocate for policy change.

The Issues

We are asking Congress to:

Promote DO Graduate Medical Education Parity through the FAIR Act

Federally-funded graduate medical education programs frequently exclude or impose burdensome requirements on DOs. These practices exacerbate the workforce shortage by limiting the availability of licensed DO physicians. The Fair Access In Residency (FAIR) Act  (H.R. 751) is needed to ensure DOs can participate in all Medicare-funded residency programs and the nation is leveraging the entire physician workforce.

Tell Congress to Support the FAIR Act 

Fund Community-Based Clinical Rotations with the Community TEAMs Act

Many community health centers are located in rural or urban underserved areas that need more physicians. Research shows that medical students receiving education and training in rural and underserved communities are more likely to stay and practice in those areas. The Community TEAMS Act (H.R. 7258 & S. 3968) will increase medical school clinical rotations in rural and underserved areas, strengthening the physician workforce pipeline and leading to greater healthcare access in disadvantaged communities.

Tell Congress to Fund Community-based Clinical Rotations

Increase Osteopathic Representation and Research Opportunities at NIH

Increased funding and enhanced osteopathic research opportunities for Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (COMs) across all Institutes and Centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will strengthen research in the areas of primary care, community-based training and service, and it will address health disparities of rural and underserved populations.

 

Sign the letter to the National Institutes of Health on Osteopathic Research

 

Testimonials from past attendees

Visit the AACOM Advocacy Day 2023 page for a look at last year’s panels and policy issues.