Single Accreditation System Update: A Year of Progress

Abstract

In 2014, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) agreed to establish a new, single accreditation system for graduate medical education in the United States. The 5-year transition period, from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2020, gives AOA training programs time to apply for and receive ACGME accreditation before the AOA ceases its postdoctoral accreditation functions. This article discusses policies to protect osteopathic residents during training, addresses program size, reviews progress at the midpoint of the 5-year transition, and looks at next steps in the establishment of the single accreditation system.