Record Number of Osteopathic Medicine Advocates Push for Further Congressional Action

500+ advocates call on lawmakers to advance residency fairness and rural health

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Bethesda, MD) – Today, more than 500 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 in a powerful grassroots effort, consisting of more than 225 meetings with congressional offices across the country.

“Advocacy Day has an impressive track record of driving congressional change, and we expect this year to be no different,” said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. “With the Senate’s recent introduction of the FAIR Act companion bill, this year’s record-breaking participation and growing congressional cosponsorship, we see the power we have when we come together and advocate for change. I am looking forward to the advancements we are sure to make for osteopathic medical education, patients and communities.”

Advocates aim to build critical legislative backing for policies that will support osteopathic medical education and address the growing physician shortage, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Participants will urge lawmakers to prioritize:

• Promoting DO Graduate Medical Education Parity Through the FAIR Act, H.R. 2314 / S. 2715
• The FAIR Act eliminates barriers that prevent doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) from fully accessing Medicare-funded graduate medical education programs, helping to strengthen and balance the physician workforce.
• Expanding Community-Based Clinical Rotations with the Community TEAMS Act, H.R. 3885
• The Community TEAMS Act strengthens rural and underserved care by expanding clinical rotations and encouraging physicians to practice in these communities.

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 both for DOs and the patients they serve.

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 38,000 future physicians—close to 30 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 43 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 70 teaching locations in 36 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