AACOM Strategic Plan

Our Opportunity

Osteopathic medicine improves our healthcare system by embracing care of the whole person to help every individual live well. We draw upon our patient-centered principles to champion the quality practice of medicine, balance human need and scientific evidence, promote a diverse physician workforce with shared values and build healthier communities.

With this in mind, we choose to create a world where everyone can receive care based upon osteopathic principles and practice—by boldly leading the educational community to make that possible.

Our Mission

AACOM leads and advocates for the osteopathic medical education community to improve the health of the public.

AACOM represents and advances the continuum of medical education by:

• Supporting our member institutions as they educate a diverse future physician workforce;
• Increasing awareness of osteopathic medical education and osteopathic medicine;
• Promoting excellence in medical education, policy, research and service; and
• Fostering innovation and quality throughout medical education.

Our Values

COLLABORATION

An important part of the ethos of osteopathic medicine is the holistic approach to wellness, an approach that lends itself to teamwork rather than siloing. Reflecting the values of the profession we serve, we value collaboration: within the organization, between the organization and its members, with other osteopathic organizations, and across the breadth of the medical profession.

EMPOWERMENT

We are leaders in the medical profession, proud of the impact we, as individuals and a collective, make on society. We empower each other to reach and celebrate our full potential.

INCLUSION

We pride ourselves on a tradition of serving the underserved, recognizing the importance of representation and inclusion in everything we do. This extends to our own staff and leadership, faculties and medical students, and the people who entrust their health to the physicians we train.

RESPONSIVENESS

Just as Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine are responsive to the needs of individual patients, we are responsive to the emerging and evolving health needs of a rapidly changing society. With focus and agility, we advance effective solutions to developments in the profession, to advocate more nimbly for members and to positively shape the future of healthcare delivery.

SERVICE

We exist to serve others. Our member schools obviously, but also students, aspiring students, the profession of osteopathic medicine and, most importantly, public health and wellbeing. A value of serving others must permeate everything we do.

Our Workplan

INSPIRED GOALS (10-year horizon)

1. Reimagine the recruitment and admissions process for osteopathic medical students

   
   

2. Strengthen our community of osteopathic role models

    

3. Develop an ecosystem that supports and promotes osteopathic medical education

    

4. Strengthen osteopathic representation, voice, and influence to demonstrate the distinct value of OME and osteopathic medicine
   

DESIRED GOALS (1 to 3-year horizon)

1. Enhance the diversity of osteopathic medical students to contribute to the development of a culturally competent workforce

   
   

2. Improve trainee readiness to help every osteopathic graduate successfully place into residency

   
   

3. Expand GME programs and graduate-level osteopathic training opportunities to help create a physician workforce able to meet the needs of all patients

   
   

4. Expand opportunities for faculty and trainees to participate in academically rigorous research to contribute to the evidence base for OME and osteopathic medicine

   
   

5. Increase the capacity, quality, consistency and desirability of clinical experiences during all years of undergraduate OME to promote excellence in the training of future physicians and ensure the readiness for residency of all students