Bethesda, MD, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encouraged by the latest numbers, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) today released its latest report showing an increase in the diversity of the 2022 osteopathic medical school graduating class. Overall, the 2021-22 class had 7,702 graduates, an increase of 3.9 percent from the previous year.
The newest report shows an increase in the diversity of the graduating class across both racial and gender lines. Female graduates increased by 9.8 percent from the previous year. The percentage of students from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups also modestly increased (9.9 percent for 2021-22 graduates over 9.3 percent for 2020-21 graduates). This overall percentage increase is attributed to growth in the following categories:
- Hispanic/Latino graduates increased by 6.8 percent,
- American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic graduates increased by 70.6 percent, and
- Black/African American, non-Hispanic graduates increased 13.8 percent.
“While these numbers are encouraging and heading in the right direction, we know there is more work to do to ensure that our future physician workforce represents all our communities,” said Robert A. Cain, DO, president and CEO of AACOM. “We are proud of the rich osteopathic tradition of inclusion. It is one of our foundational pillars and we will continue to work with our colleges to recruit and educate as diverse a class of graduates as possible.”
Reports on the 2022-23 graduating class and the 2023 matriculants will be available in early fall. For the latest reports and more information, visit https://www.aacom.org/news-reports/ome-research.
About AACOM
Founded in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is the leading voice for the education and training of physicians who practice osteopathic medicine in settings across the medical spectrum—from primary care to the full range of medical specialties. We support our member colleges of osteopathic medicine in their efforts to attract and train individuals who are fueled by a desire to make a difference in our healthcare system by treating the whole person and building a future emphasizing health and wellness for all people. Today, more than 35,000 future physicians—25 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 40 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 64 teaching locations in 35 states.
