III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 283 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; 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 (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

That the Senate— (1) recognizes the 125th anniversary of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (referred to in this resolving clause as AACOM ); (2) commends AACOM for its work to improve the health of the people of the United States; and (3) recognizes osteopathic medical students and doctors of osteopathic medicine across the United States who devote their time and resources to increase access to health care services across the country and improve the lives of their patients.