Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is on the agenda to help welcome more than 1,000 attendees this morning as the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine's annual conference gets under way in Baltimore. The three-day Educating Leaders 2023 conference will have more than 400 speakers, including radio journalist Celeste Headlee, health equity advocate Daniel E. Dawes, JD, and science writer David Epstein.

Graduating medical students from osteopathic medical colleges were matched with residencies at a 99.5% rate in a record year, according to data from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Physician shortages add impetus to the need to remove arbitrary obstacles that prevent graduates with doctor of osteopathic medicine degrees from applying for all residency opportunities, said Robert Cain, DO, AACOM's president and CEO.

Medical workforce diversity contributes to patient trust, and trust is the foundation of the doctor-patient relationship, AACOM President and CEO Robert Cain, DO, said in a podcast. AACOM is committed to making it known that careers in medicine are possible for everyone, said Helene Cameron, PhD, AACOM vice president for undergraduate medical education services.

The study of medical humanities explores art, history and science to help students understand the human experience of health care, said Valerie Cadet, PhD, assistant dean of health equity integration and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. "We've got goals of greater compassion and empathy, seeing people as more than their illness or disease," Cadet said.

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine has launched a partnership with the University of Charleston to allow medical students to earn a Master of Business Administration degree. "Today's medical students want the flexibility to seek out additional education that will help them build successful practices," WVSOM President James Nemitz, PhD, said.

Mentors from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine guide high school students through the two-year MedAchieve program, teaching them about human anatomy, physiology and genetics and preparing them for the possibility of pursuing medical careers.

Family physicians are integral to providing behavioral health care but are often frustrated by "the barriers of a fragmented health care system," according to an article in the Annals of Family Medicine co-written by Anne Jones, DO, an assistant professor of family medicine at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine.

On April 17, 2023, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced a bipartisan resolution designating April 17-23, 2023, as National Osteopathic Medicine (NOM) Week. NOM Week recognizes the service and dedication of DOs and schools of osteopathic medicine nationwide. Read more.

If you are interested in health policy and are looking to develop your skills in this area, AACOM's Osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship (OHPF) is an excellent opportunity. The OHPF is a year-long experiential training program for osteopathic physicians and other associated health professionals to develop the skills they need to analyze, formulate and implement health policy on the local, state and national levels. Join a growing legacy of policy leaders -- applications are due April 30, 2023.

Take your career to the next level with AACOM's Senior Leadership Development Program (SLDP). The program is designed for current and future osteopathic leaders, including both new and experienced deans, associate deans, department chairs, program directors, designated institutional officials and other administrators who seek to further the leadership duties and who are committed to participating in all phases of the program. The application deadline for this year's SLDP is May 10, 2023.

AACOM supports research efforts and continued dialogue at graduate medical education and undergraduate medical education institutions on the impact of virtual interviewing and other interview formats on the transition to residency. Receive up to $5,000 for a single-program study or small collaborative study within a single institution across multiple programs. Proposals are due May 15, 2023.