Osteopathic Medicine Advocates Rally for Congressional Action on Key Healthcare Issues

More than 300 advocates call on lawmakers to prioritize osteopathic medical education

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Bethesda, MD) – Today, more than 300 hundred members of the osteopathic medical education community are engaging with Congress for the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)’s Advocacy Day. This annual event brings together medical students, residents, educators and leaders who are participating in a powerful grassroots effort, consisting of approximately 200 meetings with congressional offices across the country.

"By coming together today, we are advocating for changes that will shape the future of healthcare and medical education," said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. "Our collective voice has proven time and again that it can drive real, impactful change. What we achieve together today will lead to even greater successes in the years to come.”

Advocates aim to secure critical legislative support for policies that will enhance the osteopathic medical field and address the growing physician shortage, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Participants will press lawmakers to prioritize the following issues:

• Promoting DO Graduate Medical Education Parity Through the FAIR Act
• The FAIR Act addresses barriers that exclude or limit doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) from accessing Medicare-funded graduate medical education programs. This bill is essential to combat the physician shortage by ensuring equal opportunities for DOs in residency placement.
• Creating Community-Based Clinical Rotations with the Community TEAMS Act
• Research shows that medical students who train in rural and underserved areas are more likely to practice there long-term. The Community TEAMS Act will boost clinical rotations in these communities, improving access to care where it’s needed most.
• Increasing Osteopathic Research Funding at the National Institutes of Health
• Advocates will push for increased NIH research funding for colleges of osteopathic medicine, which will strengthen primary care and community-based training and address health disparities in rural populations.

Past Advocacy Days have led to the introduction of key bills, new legislative cosponsors and increased congressional support for osteopathic medical education. This year’s event builds on that momentum, with advocates determined to push forward policies that will make a difference for both DOs and the patients they serve.

Representative Ben Cline (R-VA), a strong advocate for osteopathic medicine who represents VCOM-Virginia and cosponsors the FAIR Act, emphasized the importance of supporting future DOs. “The [healthcare] provider shortage is a pressing issue affecting our nation, but it’s felt even more acutely in rural areas like the ones I represent,” he said. “This makes VCOM’s mission to serve those populations even more vital. Congress must foster accessibility in healthcare. One way to do this is by ensuring that both MD and DO students are treated fairly when it comes to residency placement. It's why I proudly cosponsor the Fair Access In Residency Act.”

View Representative Cline’s full remarks, as well as remarks from Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representative John Garamendi (D-CA).

For more information about AACOM Advocacy Day, please visit the event web page.

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 36,000 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