Osteopathic Students Make up Growing Percent of Medical School Graduates

DO graduates increase by 2.5 percent over last year

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Bethesda, MD) – Today, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) celebrates osteopathic medicine’s growing influence through its medical school graduates. AACOM’s latest data report shows 7,891 osteopathic graduates for the 2023 graduating class, 189 more graduates, or a 2.5 percent increase, over last year.

Female graduates increased by 7.0 percent from the previous year, with women making up 50.7 percent of the 2023 graduating class. The percentage of graduates from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine increased to 10.1 percent, an all-time high. This increase is attributed to growth in the following categories:

• Hispanic/Latino graduates increased by 11.5 percent
• Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic graduates increased by 42.9 percent

“As osteopathic medical schools continue to open and we graduate an increasingly larger proportion of medical students, our emphasis on holistic wellness becomes increasingly accessible to patients everywhere,” said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. “The evolving diversity among osteopathic graduates is a promising development for the future of healthcare. By drawing on a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, we are better positioned to meet the complex needs of all the varied communities across the nation. Our commitment is to ensure that our graduates are equipped to provide safe, equitable, high-quality care to every patient, reflecting the diversity of the U.S. population.”

To view this report and AACOM’s latest research, please visit https://www.aacom.org/news-reports/ome-research.

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 41 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 66 teaching locations in 35 states. To learn more about AACOM, please visit our website.

Contacts:

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

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