AACOM Advocacy Day 2023

AACOM Advocacy Day 2023 October 17-18, 2023

Advocate for OME!

Advocacy Day 2023 took place on October 17 and 18 and was our largest Advocacy Day to date! Participants engaged directly with lawmakers and participate in coordinated calls to action urging Congress to support policies and programs critical to the osteopathic community. Advocacy Day 2023 has concluded but you can advocate year round! Explore our event videos, materials, and other ways to advocate below. We hope to see you at Advocacy Day 2024!

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

62% of DOs experienced bias during the Match process because of the degree they earned

 

Fund Community-Based Clinical Rotations

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. Congress needs to increase training sites for medical students in rural communities to strengthen the physician workforce for underserved populations.

Urge Congress to Fund Clinical Rotation Opportunities

75%+ of all medical schools report concerns about the number of clinical training sites and the quality and supply of preceptors, especially in primary care

Join the Movement and Share Your Story

Introducing AACOM's newest tool for online advocacy, Gather Voices!

AACOM is eager to hear from members of the osteopathic community about why advocating for the FAIR Act is so important to ensuring that DOs have an equitable path to residency training and how your training in community-based settings, such as community health centers, ambulatory clinics and physician offices, has helped increase healthcare access in rural and underserved communities!

We encourage you to spend one minute or less recording and uploading your videos about what the FAIR Act means to you and the benefits of community-based clinical rotations:

Record Your Fair Act Story


Share Your Clinical Rotations Story

 

Advocacy Day Agenda

October 17, 2023,  1:00-3:00 PM ET

  • Opening Remarks
    Robert A. Cain, DO, AACOM President and CEO
  • Congressional Health Policy Update
    Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
  • Strengthening Osteopathic Policy Priorities Through the Budget Process
    Sarah Donovan and Rick Hegg, Senior Policy Advisors, Venable LLP
  • Video Presentations
    Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO) and Julia Letlow (R-LA)

 

  • Advocacy Training with AACOM Government Relations

 

October 18, 2023


Testimonials from past attendees

quotes from advocacy day participants

Visit the AACOM Advocacy Day 2022 page for a look at last year’s panels and policy issues.

 


Share Your Video Story and Enter to Win a pair of Jaanuu Scrubs!

AACOM is partnering with Jaanuu to give away two free pairs of scrubs this AACOM Advocacy Day.

See Contest Rules


#AACOMAdvocates

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