AACOM Applauds House Hearing on Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Healthcare Workforce

FAIR Act and community-based medical training championed by dean’s testimony

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Bethesda, MD) – The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) today commends the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health for convening a hearing on “Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Healthcare Workforce,” and applauds the testimony of Thomas J. Mohr, DO, vice president of medical affairs and dean of the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“Today’s hearing highlights a fundamental truth: if we want to solve America’s physician shortage, we must align federal policy with where patients receive care,” said Robert A. Cain, DO, AACOM president and CEO. “Osteopathic medical education’s community-based, patient-centered model has a proven track record of preparing physicians to practice primary care, serve rural communities and address chronic disease through prevention and whole-person health. Modernizing Medicare GME and advancing the FAIR Act will help ensure that the next generation of physicians can train and ultimately practice where they are needed most.”

“Osteopathic medicine is grounded in a whole-person philosophy that recognizes the unity of body, mind and spirit,” said Dr. Mohr. “Our community-based model of medical education places students and residents where care is most needed, in rural communities, health centers and community hospitals. We know that physicians are far more likely to practice where they train. Strengthening and modernizing GME policy to support community-based programs is one of the most effective ways to address workforce shortages and improve healthcare access.”

Osteopathic medical education operates through a distributed, community-based training model. Today, 46 colleges of osteopathic medicine, representing 73 campuses in 36 states, educate more than 38,000 future physicians, nearly 30 percent of all U.S. medical students. More than half of DOs practice in primary care specialties, and more than 73 percent practice in the state where they complete their residency training.

Despite this strong workforce impact, Medicare’s graduate medical education (GME) financing system remains largely structured around large academic medical centers and inpatient hospital care, and legacy funding formulas that can disadvantage rural hospitals and community-based training sites. Residency caps, geographic disparities in per-resident amounts and complex administrative requirements can create barriers for smaller institutions seeking to establish new residency programs.

Dr. Mohr also underscored the importance of transparency and fairness in residency selection, highlighting the bipartisan Fair Access In Residency (FAIR) Act, H.R. 2314/S. 2715. The legislation would impose new reporting requirements on Medicare-funded residency programs to address systemic inequalities imposed on osteopathic medical students.

“The FAIR Act is a commonsense, bipartisan step toward transparency and accountability in federally supported residency programs,” said Dr. Mohr. “Ensuring fair consideration strengthens the physician workforce and helps deliver more doctors to rural and underserved communities.”

“As Congress considers reforms to GME, AACOM stands ready to work with lawmakers to expand community-based training, increase fairness and transparency in residency selection and build a physician workforce that reflects the needs of every community in America,” said Dr. Cain.

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 46 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 73 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