III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 283 

Recognizing June 28, 2023, as the 125th anniversary of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and commending the work 

of the association to improve the health of the people of the United 

States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2023 

Mr. RISCH submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing June 28, 2023, as the 125th anniversary of 

the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic 

Medicine and commending the work of the association 

to improve the health of the people of the United States. 

Whereas, in 1892, Dr. Andrew Taylor Still (referred to in 

this preamble as ‘‘A.T. Still’’) opened the first osteopathic medical school, the American School of Osteopathy, now known as A.T. Still University College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Kirksville, Missouri; 

Whereas A.T. Still was a pioneering physician in recognizing 

the innate healing mechanisms present within all individuals, and discovered and expanded osteopathic medicine 

during an era of ineffective and harmful medical practices; 


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•SRES 283 IS 

Whereas A.T. Still embodied a philosophy of service through 

his life as a physician advocate, a Civil War hospital 

steward, and a legislator; 

Whereas, in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of 

Osteopathic Medicine (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘AACOM’’) was founded to support and assist osteopathic medical schools in the United States; 

Whereas AACOM leads and advocates for the full continuum 

of osteopathic medical education (commonly known as 

‘‘OME’’) to improve the health of the public; 

Whereas AACOM represents all 40 colleges of osteopathic 

medicine at 64 teaching locations in 35 States, as well 

as osteopathic graduate medical education professionals 

and trainees at medical centers, hospitals, clinics, and 

health systems in the United States; 

Whereas, during the 2022–2023 academic year, colleges of 

osteopathic medicine educated more than 35,000 future 

physicians, 25 percent of all medical students in the 

United States, a percentage projected to rise to 30 percent by 2030; 

Whereas osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest growing 

medical fields in the United States, with osteopathic physicians practicing in all specialty areas and medical practice settings; 

Whereas there are more than 178,000 doctors of osteopathic 

medicine and osteopathic medical students in the United 

States; 

Whereas osteopathic medicine— 

(1) confers all the benefits of modern medicine to diagnose and treat disease and injury; and 


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•SRES 283 IS 

(2) emphasizes helping each person achieve a high 

level of wellness by focusing on health promotion and disease prevention; 

Whereas— 

(1) osteopathic medical education emphasizes the 

interrelationship between the structure and function of 

the body; and 

(2) osteopathic medical students receive extensive 

training in both— 

(A) the neuromusculoskeletal system; and 

(B) osteopathic manipulative treatment, the 

therapeutic application of manual pressure or force 

used to treat structural and functional issues in the 

bones, joints, tissues, and muscles of the body; 

Whereas serving rural and underserved populations is a key 

pillar of AACOM and its member schools, and AACOM 

works to improve access to health care services, especially 

in rural and underserved areas of the United States; 

Whereas 60 percent of osteopathic medical schools are located in health professional shortage areas; 

Whereas 88 percent of osteopathic medical schools have a 

stated public commitment to rural health; and 

Whereas AACOM supports its member institutions as they 

educate the future physician workforce, increase awareness of osteopathic medical education and osteopathic 

medicine, promote excellence in medical education, policy, 

research, and service, and foster innovation and quality 

throughout medical education: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the 125th anniversary of the 

3 American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic 


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•SRES 283 IS 

1 Medicine (referred to in this resolving clause as 

2 ‘‘AACOM’’); 

3 (2) commends AACOM for its work to improve 

4 the health of the people of the United States; and 

5 (3) recognizes osteopathic medical students and 

6 doctors of osteopathic medicine across the United 

7 States who devote their time and resources to in8 crease access to health care services across the coun9 try and improve the lives of their patients. 

Æ 


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