AACOM Announces New Senior Vice President of Medical Education

ARCOM Dean Rance McClain, DO, to begin role July 3rd

April 28, 2023

Bethesda, MD – Today the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) announced the hiring of Rance McClain, DO, as its new senior vice president of medical education. Dr. McClain currently serves as dean and professor of clinical medicine at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine and will begin his new role at AACOM on July 3, 2023.

“We are very excited to have someone with the skills, knowledge and clinical experience of Dr. McClain joining our team,” said Robert A. Cain, DO, AACOM president and CEO. “Ensuring we are at the cutting edge of medical education and able to support our colleges is of critical importance.  Today, 25 percent of all medical students in the United States are educated at a college of osteopathic medicine. That number will rise to one in three students by 2030. AACOM is committed to maintaining the world class standards at our colleges and Dr. McClain will play a leading role as we work to meet that commitment.”

Reporting to the president, the senior vice president will lead and oversee all aspects of AACOM’s medical education department, including development of AACOM’s strategic plans, goals and objectives in these areas, overseeing implementation, directing the department’s budget process and completing assignments by the president. In his new role, Dr. McClain will also work with AACOM’s member colleges, the Board of Deans and with external partnership to lead initiatives that improve the quality and future models of medical education across the full continuum of medical education to improve the health of the public. 

“I am honored to assume the duties of senior vice president of medical education at AACOM,” said Dr. McClain. “As a career long medical educator, I have seen our profession’s rapid growth from 15 campuses when I entered medical school to over 60 campuses and growing. I have worked at one of our oldest medical schools as well as newer campuses and feel I can bring a unique insight into the similarities and differences our campuses face in today’s everchanging medical education environment.”

Rance McClain, DO, FACOFP, FAOASM, is a 1996 graduate of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (Kansas City, MO) with a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree. He completed his family medicine residency at the Medical Center of Independence. He is board certified in the specialties of Family Medicine as well as Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, and is fellowship trained and holds a certification of additional qualifications in Sports Medicine. Dr. McClain has served as the medical director for national championship competitions in cyclocross, triathlon and volleyball and has been a lead ringside physician for mixed martial arts and boxing for more than 15 years. He has been a regular contributor on numerous NBOME item writing and item review committees and served as an OMT rater for the COMLEX Level II PE examination. Dr. McClain has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters and has served as an associate editor of the Journal of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education since 2016.

About AACOM

Founded in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is the leading voice for the education and training of physicians who practice osteopathic medicine in settings across the medical spectrum—from primary care to the full range of medical specialties. We support our member colleges of osteopathic medicine in their efforts to attract and train individuals who are fueled by a desire to make a difference in our healthcare system by treating the whole person and building a future emphasizing health and wellness for all people. Today, more than 35,000 future physicians—25 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 39 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 63 teaching locations in 35 states. 

Contacts:

Joseph Shapiro
Director of Media Relations
(240) 938-0746
jshapiro@aacom.org

Christine DeCarlo
Media and Public Affairs Senior Manager
(202) 603-1026
cdecarlo@aacom.org