The AOA Board of Trustees convenes for its Midyear Business Meeting each spring. During the meeting, the board hears reports from various affiliate organizations and acts on resolutions that shape AOA policy on various topics.
View the minutes of the 2017 Midyear Business Meeting, along with the reference committee reports and all resolutions considered and acted on by the Board of Trustees at the 2017 Midyear Business Meeting.
2017 Midyear Meeting BOT Actions
The AOA continues to make progress toward strategic initiatives, including enhancement of AOA board certification services, strengthening the value of AOA membership, expanding the international reach of osteopathic medicine, and aligning AOA governance and affiliate relationships to meet the changing needs of the profession.
During the Spring 2017 Midyear Meeting, the Board of Trustees considered and approved resolutions offered by a task force on opportunities to make AOA board certification available and attractive to a broader market of physicians. Highlights on the resolutions, which addressed all five components of Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC) are outlined below:
Component 1: Physicians holding an active license to practice medicine outside the US may be considered for OCC on a case-by-case basis.
Component 2: CME produced by AOA and ACCME-accredited sponsors and providers will be accepted in various formats for a minimum of 60 hours of specialty CME, beginning in the next three-year cycle.
Component 3: OCC will continue to include a psychometrically valid, periodic ongoing cognitive assessment. The BOS will explore alternative delivery mechanisms and appropriate intervals of cognitive assessment.
Component 4: Diplomates will be permitted to provide evidence of practice improvement participation through attestation or online submission.
Component 5: While AOA membership adds value by helping board certified DOs meet OCC requirements and receive advocacy services if certification credentials are challenged, membership is not essential to satisfy board certification requirements.
Significant progress continues on other AOA Phase II strategic priorities:
Member Value & Relevance: The
AOA’s Bureau of Membership is considering opportunities to enhance the
value of membership. Extensive market research has been conducted with
young DOs and students to understand what types of products, services
and benefits are important to today’s practicing physicians.
Affiliate Alignment:
We were pleased to have strong representation from our specialty and
state affiliates at the mid-year meeting. Many of these dedicated
leaders participated in market research and attended an in-person
retreat to discuss their challenges, and opportunities to strengthen
collaboration with the AOA and one another to meet strategic priorities. A task force composed of affiliate leaders will work with the AOA across five key
areas: the future of the profession; membership; education/CME;
advocacy; communication; and affiliation relationship.
International Impact:
An international team of staff and consultants is working across five
international focus areas: practice rights; strategic relationships;
medical missions; global research; and international education. The team
is making notable progress strengthening DOCARE and establishing
practice rights in new countries.
Governance Alignment:
The Board of Trustees continues to evaluate AOA governance models that
reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and allow leaders to be more nimble and
responsive to the needs of the profession.