Blue Ribbon Commission

The Blue Ribbon Commission for the Advancement of Osteopathic Medical Education

The U.S. health care system — already challenged to address the issues of access, consistent quality of care, equity and costs — is facing a perfect storm in coming decades.  Rapid growth in America’s senior population, the chronic disease epidemic, inadequate numbers of physicians (especially in primary care), and the likelihood of a significant cutback in financial resources are escalating problems within the health care arena.  

This gathering storm requires us to engage in new thinking about health care delivery and the education of physicians. Recognizing this, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and the American Osteopathic Association  (AOA) believe that, now more than ever, it is time for the osteopathic medical profession to assess the strengths and resources it brings to addressing the nation’s health care needs through our distinctive educational approach.

The AOA and AACOM have established a Blue Ribbon Commission for the Advancement of Osteopathic Medicine (BRC) to identify unique opportunities for the osteopathic profession to offer leadership in medical education so as to improve the health of the U.S. population in the 21st century.  The BRC builds on and is the next logical step to the highly successful Medical Education Summits I and II.

The BRC will convene and carry out its work over the next 12-18 months. During this time, the commission will identify critical issues to be considered; develop research and white papers addressing the issues; develop recommendations based on the research findings; and issue a final report with recommendations for action.