Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
Washington, DC – Today, 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 this week, April 17-23, 2023, as National Osteopathic Medicine Week. The bipartisan resolution recognizes the service and dedication of doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) and schools of osteopathic medicine nationwide.
“Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine are a fundamental part of the Mountain State’s healthcare workforce and the well-being of West Virginians,” said Senator Manchin. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan resolution and honor the countless contributions DOs as well as schools of osteopathic medicine have made to ensure Americans of all backgrounds have access to quality healthcare.”
“I am glad to join my colleagues in recognizing the hard work of doctors of osteopathic medicine across the country who continue to help provide care to Americans from all backgrounds,” said Senator Wicker. “I especially appreciate the work of Mississippi’s William Carey University, which is home to a strong osteopathic medicine program.”
“National Osteopathic Medicine Week provides a chance to highlight the critical role of osteopathic medicine, innovative and intelligent practitioners, our West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, and its importance for the health of West Virginians,” Senator Capito said. “I’m proud to join a bipartisan group in introducing this resolution again, and look forward to continuing my support of those who provide these important health care services to communities across West Virginia.”
“Today, 25 percent of all medical students are attending osteopathic medical schools, a number projected to grow to 30 percent by the end of the decade,” said Robert A. Cain, DO, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). “As AACOM celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, we thank Senators Manchin, Wicker, Capito, Heinrich and Grassley for their leadership and continued support of osteopathic medicine. National Osteopathic Medicine Week brings important visibility to the holistic, whole-person care that doctors of osteopathic medicine provide to patients in West Virginia and across the nation.”
“The American Osteopathic Association commends Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) for their leadership on the resolution designating the week of April 17-23 as National Osteopathic Medicine Week,” said Earnest Gelb, DO, FACOFP, president of the AOA. “Osteopathic physicians play an essential role in our healthcare system, responding to public health emergencies, practicing across specialties to serve patients throughout the country, and delivering high-quality, patient-centered care to improve the well-being of communities. This resolution highlights osteopathic physicians’ dedication to their patients.”
DOs complete four years of osteopathic medical school as well as internships, residencies and fellowships for three to eight years before they can become licensed and board-certified. DOs make up 11 percent of all physicians in the nation and practice in all specialties, with an emphasis on preventative medicine and comprehensive patient care.