American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine

The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is a United States nonprofit association serving the colleges that provide osteopathic medical education. It functions as a collective voice for osteopathic medical schools, bringing member institutions together around education, research, service, policy, data, student recruitment, and the development of the physician workforce. AACOM supports 48 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine operating through 75 teaching locations in 36 states. The represented institutions educate more than 38,000 future physicians in the current academic year, accounting for close to 30 percent of medical students in the United States. The membership includes both public and private institutions. Through its Board of Deans and professional staff, the association coordinates sector-wide work while preserving the institutional identity and governance of individual colleges. A central part of AACOM's role is advocacy. The organization represents osteopathic medical education in discussions with the federal government and works with allied health and medical-education organizations on issues affecting students, educators, training programs, and the physician workforce. Its policy interests include the structure of graduate medical education, access to medical training, educational quality, research, and the contribution of osteopathic physicians to public health. AACOM also promotes public understanding of osteopathic medicine and the role of doctors of osteopathic medicine, or DOs. The association provides practical services to its members and to prospective students. Its centralized data collection and analysis support planning and research across osteopathic medical education. AACOM also operates AACOMAS, the online application service used by applicants seeking admission to United States colleges of osteopathic medicine. Additional student- and professional-facing activities include scholarships, internships, fellowships, grants, publications, and educational programs. AACOM's publications include an annual guide to osteopathic medical colleges, regular reporting and analysis on osteopathic medical education, and Inside OME, a biweekly electronic newsletter covering developments in osteopathic medicine, legislation, graduate medical education, and related topics. The association also organizes councils, committees, discussion groups, and collaborative forums through which deans, administrators, educators, students, and other participants exchange information. The organization operates within the broader history of osteopathic medicine, a system of medical practice that emerged in the late nineteenth century through the work of Andrew Taylor Still in Kirksville, Missouri. Contemporary DOs are fully licensed physicians who practice across all 50 states and in a broad range of specialties and care settings. AACOM's mission is to provide leadership for the osteopathic medical education community by promoting excellence in medical education, research, and service, while encouraging innovation and quality throughout the educational continuum in support of public health.

Osteopathic medicine developed in the late nineteenth century in Kirksville, Missouri, through the work of Andrew Taylor Still. Still criticized aspects of contemporary medical practice that he believed could harm patients and advanced an approach emphasizing the body's capacity for self-healing, the relationship between structure and function, and a broader view of patient health. This tradition later developed into the modern system of osteopathic medicine, in which doctors of osteopathic medicine receive comprehensive medical training and hold licenses to practice the full scope of medicine. AACOM exists to support the institutions responsible for educating these physicians. Rather than operating as a medical school itself, the association serves the network of accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine. Its work brings together institutional leaders, educators, administrators, students, and other participants in osteopathic medical education. The association provides a common platform for collaboration and represents the collective interests of its member colleges in national policy and public discussions. The represented colleges operate across the United States through dozens of teaching locations and educate tens of thousands of medical students. They include public and private institutions and prepare students for careers in primary care as well as specialties such as obstetrics, surgery, and aerospace medicine. DOs practice in civilian and military settings and are licensed in all 50 states. AACOM's role therefore extends beyond institutional administration: its advocacy and educational work address the contribution of osteopathic physicians to the wider health-care system. AACOM's activities include federal advocacy, public awareness, data collection, research reporting, and services for applicants and member institutions. AACOMAS gives prospective students a centralized online route for applying to osteopathic medical schools. The association also publishes an annual student guide, produces the Inside OME electronic newsletter, and issues reports on developments and research in osteopathic medical education. Councils established by the Board of Deans provide another mechanism for coordinated work, typically meeting periodically and continuing discussions through online association forums. The organization sponsors or co-sponsors programs for participants at multiple stages of the educational pathway. These activities include scholarships, internships, fellowships, grants, and initiatives for medical students, health-care professionals, educators, and senior administrators. AACOM also collaborates with allied organizations when shared educational or public-health objectives arise. One documented example is its 2012 work with the Association of American Medical Colleges to improve education concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. AACOM is governed by a Board of Deans and led by a president. Its stated mission is to provide leadership for osteopathic medical education by promoting excellence in education, research, and service and by encouraging innovation and quality across the educational continuum. Its present identity is that of an active national professional association supporting osteopathic medical colleges, applicants, educators, and the broader public understanding of osteopathic medicine.

• 2012

  Collaboration on post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury education

  [1]American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicineen.wikipedia.org

  AACOM worked with the Association of American Medical Colleges to improve medical education concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.

A sector-wide representative and service organization for United States osteopathic medical education, combining policy advocacy, institutional collaboration, data services, student admissions support, and public education.

• Medical-school application service

  AACOMAS

  AACOMAS is AACOM's centralized online application service for prospective students applying to colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States. It is one of the association's principal direct services for applicants and supports the admissions process across participating osteopathic medical schools.

• Student publication

  Student Guide to Osteopathic Medical Colleges

  An annual guide designed to help prospective students understand and compare osteopathic medical colleges. The publication is part of AACOM's broader student-information role and provides a consolidated reference for applicants researching osteopathic medical education.

• Professional newsletter

  Inside OME

  A biweekly electronic newsletter covering developments in osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education. Its subject matter includes legislation, graduate medical education, association activity, and other issues relevant to educators, administrators, students, and health-care professionals.

• Research and data publication

  Osteopathic medical education reports

  AACOM publishes reports and analysis based on data and research concerning osteopathic medical education. These materials support institutional planning, public policy discussions, research, and understanding of trends across the osteopathic education sector.

• 2012

  Joint educational work on post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuriesStrategy

  Background

  Medical education needed stronger coverage of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, issues with particular relevance to patients and communities affected by military service and other trauma.

  Action taken

  AACOM partnered with the Association of American Medical Colleges to improve educational content and awareness in these areas.

  Aftermath

  The collaboration is documented as part of AACOM's work with allied organizations to strengthen medical education and address public-health needs.

  Source

• 2012

  AACOM and the Association of American Medical Colleges collaborated on education concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries[1]American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicineen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  AACOM worked with the Association of American Medical Colleges on improving medical education related to post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.

1. 1American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicineen.wikipedia.org
2. 2American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine official websiteaacom.org