New Data Underscores Need to Expand Clinical Rotations – Support the Community TEAMS Act

AACOM’s new Data Brief: The State of Clinical Education in Osteopathic Medical Schools highlights a growing concern in the national health workforce pipeline.

While enrollment at colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) has surged 65 percent over the past decade, clinical site availability has not kept pace.

Seventy-four percent of COM leaders report it is harder today to secure or maintain clinical training sites than it was five years ago, with shortages most pronounced in OBGYN, pediatrics and psychiatry.

COMs also shoulder the majority of training costs—covering 75 percent of preceptor expenses and most site and housing fees.

While COMs provide high-quality clinical learning experiences, national capacity and scheduling constraints complicate the student experience. Community-based clinical rotations must be expanded to increase the healthcare workforce where care is needed most.

To address this challenge, AACOM worked with congressional leaders to introduce the Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (Community TEAMS) Act, H.R. 3885. The Community TEAMS Act will create a new Health Resources and Services Administration grant program to increase medical student clinical rotations through partnerships between medical schools and Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics and other healthcare facilities located in medically underserved communities. U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) recently signed on as cosponsors, bringing the total cosponsor count to 18, with five new cosponsors joining in November. In addition to this authorizing legislation, AACOM has secured report language in both the House (pages 38-39) and Senate (page 46) emphasizing the need for more community-based clinical rotations.

Congress understands the important role osteopathic medical education (OME) plays in addressing the country’s healthcare needs. Urge your elected officials to increase healthcare access and strengthen the physician workforce by cosponsoring and passing the Community TEAMS Act, H.R. 3885!

Act Now!