Osteopathic medical education: Introducing AACOM

The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine is the nation’s leading advocate for osteopathic medical education. President & CEO Robert A. Cain, DO, FACOI, FAODM, gives this introduction to the organization and discusses the growing numbers of osteopathic physicians around the United States.

Medical Economics: Based on the name, it may sound self-evident about what the association does, but can you introduce the association, AACOM?

Robert A. Cain, DO, FACOI, FAODME: I'd be happy to. AACOM is the only association that is solely dedicated to advancing osteopathic medical education. And specific to that, I mean the undergraduate portion going to medical school and graduate medical education. We support our member colleges through a variety of services, programs and advocacy. In this role, we basically serve as the national voice for osteopathic medical education. The other thing we do, we are the resource for those who are interested in becoming an osteopathic physician, so we serve as the centralized application service for students interested in becoming doctors.

Medical Economics: Can you review some of the current facts and figures about the number of osteopathic medical colleges, students and degrees awarded?

Robert A. Cain, DO, FACOI, FAODME: I can. You know, I think this is one of the most amazing growth stories. And if we actually go back for a moment in our history, the end of the 19th century, in the 1890s there's a single osteopathic medical school in the United States. And when I came into this role just seven years ago, there were 52 campuses. Today we have 73 locations across the United States. So 46 main campuses, that means they have a named college of osteopathic medicine. Often, those schools will open other locations. That's how we get to 73. Those are now, instead of one state for that initial one school, 36 states where we are currently offering the do degree to those who are interested. In terms of the medical students who are enrolled at those campuses, about three out of 10, almost 30% of medical students in the United States today are earning the DO degree, and that adds up to almost 40,000 medical students at all of those colleges I was just talking about.