American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
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| Abbreviation | AACOM |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1898 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Chevy Chase, MD |
| Location |
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Official language
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English |
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President/Chief Executive Officer
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Stephen C. Shannon, DO, MPH |
| Website | aacom |
The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is a non-profit organization that supports the 33 accredited U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) delivering instruction at 47 teaching locations in 31 states. Six of the colleges are publicly controlled, 25 are private.
AACOM serves as a unifying voice for osteopathic medical education (OME), fostering collaboration among its member institutions, and is active in advocacy at the federal government level. The Association is governed by its Board of Deans and led by President Stephen C. Shannon, DO, MPH.
AACOM often works in collaboration with other allied organizations and promotes public awareness for osteopathic medicine and OME. The association provides centralized services to its members, including data collection and analysis, and operation of its online application service, AACOMAS, for prospective students applying to U.S. osteopathic medical schools.
AACOM provides leadership for the osteopathic medical education community by promoting excellence in medical education, research and service, and by fostering innovation and quality across the continuum of osteopathic medical education to improve the health of the American public.
Osteopathic medicine was founded in the late 1800s in Kirksville, Missouri, by Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO, a medical doctor who recognized that the medical practices of the day often caused more harm than good. He focused on developing a system of medical care that would promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself and called this system of medicine osteopathy, now known as osteopathic medicine.
Osteopathic physicians, also known as DOs, work in partnership with their patients. They consider the impact that lifestyle and community have on the health of each individual, and they work to break down barriers to good health. DOs are licensed to practice the full scope of medicine in all 50 states. They practice in all types of environments, including the military, and in all types of specialties, from family medicine to obstetrics, surgery, and aerospace medicine.
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