9
COM Outlook . Fall 2013
GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION Impasse:
Accreditation Standardization
Fails to Materialize
e
spite the best efforts of the
Accreditation Council for
Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME), American Osteopathic
Association (AOA), and the American
Association of Colleges of Osteopathic
Medicine (AACOM) to create a unified
pathway for accreditation of residency
training programs, a unified decision was
unable to be negoti-
ated. Consequently,
students in colleges of
osteopathic medicine
will have the same
opportunities they cur-
rently possess—to pur-
sue residency programs
accredited by either the
AOA or ACGME.
“We remain com-
mitted to the best pos-
sible graduate medical
education opportuni-
ties for our students,
and a high-quality,
accountable gradu-
ate medical education
system for the interests
of the U.S. population,” said Stephen C.
Shannon, D.O., M.P.H., AACOM presi-
dent. “As able, we will continue to pursue
a unified accreditation system for both
D.O. and M.D. graduates; however, at this
time, multiple pathways for accreditation
of residency training programs remain the
best option for osteopathic medical stu-
dents. Our number one priority is to stand
by the needs of students, especially as we
see the number of those entering the D.O.
field continue to rise each year.”
D
In October 2011, the ACGME pro-
posed changes in the Common Program
Requirements that would disrupt existing
opportunities for osteopathic medical
students to move from training within
an AOA-accredited program into an
ACGME-accredited program. AACOM
worked with both organizations to
develop a dialogue on the impact of the
changes and began exploration of a solu-
tion to the issue. In October 2012, the
ACGME, AOA, and AACOM boards
passed a resolution to begin discussion to
merge both accreditation systems into a
unified accreditation pathway for gradu-
ate residencies.
At the time, AACOM viewed a
negotiated unified pathway as being in
osteopathic medical students’ best interest.
However, after considerable three-way
deliberations, AACOM’s leadership be-
came convinced that maintaining multiple
accreditation pathways remains in the best
interest of osteopathic medical students at
this time.
AACOM expects that COM gradu-
ates, who represent approximately 20
percent of U.S. medical school graduates
annually, will continue to enjoy selection
at the most prestigious residencies offered
by the ACGME and
that osteopathic resi-
dency programs will
continue to flourish
independently of or
in partnership with
the ACGME in the
form of residency
programs with dual
accreditation.
The decision to
maintain multiple
pathways comes
at a time when
osteopathic medical
students had the best
success at matching
into both ACGME
and AOA residency
programs ever, and AACOM expects the
trend to continue.
Although a unified pathway was un-
able to be established for accreditation of
residency training programs, discussions
continue to occur at many levels. Despite
the setback, AACOM believes the process
has been productive because it has allowed
both sides to learn more about the differ-
ent ways GME is delivered.
(Source: AACOM)
ACCREDITATION UPDATE
