November 1, 2012 -- OPSO, the professional association representing over 700 osteopathic physicians in the state of Oregon, applauded the announced agreement for the creation of a unified accreditation system for graduate medical education programs in the United States.
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM ) announced that they will enter into an agreement to pursue a single, unified accreditation system for graduate medical education programs in the United States beginning in July 2015.
Robyn Dreibelbis, DO, OPSO President and Program Director of Family Medicine at Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, OR stated, “While osteopathic training programs will continue with the distinctive osteopathic approach to patient care, a single accrediting body for residency programs ensures all medical school graduates have access to training programs.”
Currently, residency training programs may be accredited by the ACGME, or by the AOA. The separately accredited programs each require their own “match” process where medical graduates apply for their residency training in their chosen medical specialty. A unified accreditation system would open the door for a single match process, allowing graduates to apply to programs that best fit their specialty aspirations.
OPSO Executive Director, David Walls explained, “The osteopathic profession has a proud history of service in primary care fields and we expect the osteopathic medical school in Oregon, COMP-Northwest, to continue that tradition. As we face a primary care physician workforce shortage, there is a great need to increase the residency training opportunities in our state. With the creation of a unified graduate medical education accrediting body, I envision more collaboration in the development of new training programs, regardless of their philosophical focus.”
Dr. Dreibelbis added, “It is not the science of osteopathic medicine that makes it unique, but the practice of osteopathic medicine. A unified credentialing body will ensure that physicians in graduate medical education programs gain the scientific knowledge and clinical expertise for the safe practice of medicine. The distinction between osteopathic and allopathic residency programs will be maintained, with osteopathic programs retaining Osteopathic Principles and Practice and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine as core competencies.”
For more information on the decision by the AOA to enter in a single accreditation system, please visit www.osteopathic.org/acgme.
