New Bill Supports Training Opportunities for Osteopathic Medicine

The ACOI is backing new legislation in Congress that would improve medical training opportunities for osteopathic and allopathic medical students in rural and medically underserved areas.  

The bipartisan Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students Act (Community TEAMS Act) was introduced in February by Reps. Carol Miller (R-WV) and Ann Kuster (D-NH). The legislation (H.R. 7258) gives the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) the authority to issue grants for expanding the availability of community-based medical training in rural and underserved areas. Entities eligible for grants could include a consortium of one or more osteopathic or allopathic medical schools and a rural health clinic, a federally qualified health center, and/or a health care facility located in a medically underserved community.  

Grants would be available for a period of 1-5 years and applicants would need to have a plan in place for sustaining the project after federal support has ended. The goal of the legislation is to facilitate long-term sustainable physician practice in high-need rural and medically underserved communities.  

In its endorsement letter, ACOI described the practice of medicine in rural and medically underserved areas as unique because resources are oftentimes limited and can create barriers to care. The letter added “Medical schools can teach about these barriers, but H.R. 7258 creates opportunities for medical students to experience them firsthand as they work to care for and improve the health of patients in these communities.”

ACOI is encouraging passage of the bill and funding for grants and encourages ACOI members to lend their voices in support of the bill by contacting their representatives. Take action today.