AOA votes for single accreditation system

American Osteopathic Association (AOA) delegates voted last week to support a decision by the AOA Board of Trustees to pursue a new, single accreditation system for graduate medical education. The vote clears the way for medical schools, hospitals, and community health centers to develop a single standard for residency program training. Graduating students from DO or MD schools can now become board-eligible, practicing physicians in the United States through a single accrediting system.

The vote occurred during the annual meeting of the AOA House of Delegates, and follows the February agreement of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), AOA, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to develop the new accrediting system. When fully implemented in July 2020, this system will allow graduates of U.S. DO and MD medical schools to complete their residency/fellowship education in ACGME-accredited programs and demonstrate achievement of common milestones and competencies.

Source: AACOM