AACOM Advocacy Day Ignites Action on Osteopathic Priorities

On September 11 and 12, 2024, hundreds of osteopathic medical students, residents, educators and leaders came together to promote osteopathic policy priorities as part of AACOM Advocacy Day 2024.

The first day featured remarks from Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Ben Cline (R-VA). During the training session, AACOM’s Government Relations team prepared participants with a detailed overview of federal policy priorities and tools for how to effectively advocate, including a simulated congressional meeting.

On the second day, advocates participated in more than 180 congressional meetings and asked their Members of Congress to support these critical osteopathic policy initiatives:

• The Fair Access In Residency (FAIR) Act, H.R. 751, which addresses barriers that exclude or limit DOs from accessing Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) programs.
• The Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act, H.R. 7258 / S. 3968, which expands clinical training in rural and underserved communities, improving access to care where it’s needed most.
• A bicameral, bipartisan congressional letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) encouraging the agency to increase osteopathic research funding and representation.

These advocacy efforts have already seen success. Since Advocacy Day, we have increased cosponsors of the Community TEAMS Act, added more than a dozen House and Senate signers to the congressional letter to the NIH and increased support for the FAIR Act.

Learn more about Advocacy Day and access resources and advocacy opportunities at our Advocacy Day web page.