BILL NUMBER: ACR 97 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 1, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 19, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Rodriguez)
(Coauthors: Senators Hernandez and Leyva)
JULY 16, 2015
Relative to medicine.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 97, as amended, Bonilla. Medical training: osteopathic
students.
This measure would measure, among other
things, would urge both private and public medical training
institutions in the state to provide equal access to osteopathic and
allopathic students to apply to training programs, would urge
osteopathic medical schools, allopathic medical schools, and their
training institutions to build on current successes of working toward
greater collaboration and coordination of education and training for
California's future physicians, and would urge efforts by training
institutions and allopathic and osteopathic medical schools to work
toward greater acceptance and integration of osteopathic and
allopathic students.
Fiscal committee: no.
WHEREAS, California has a significant shortage and inequitable
distribution of physicians throughout the state due to the aging
population, current population growth, and the increasing number of
insured; and
WHEREAS, According to a study by the Robert Graham Center in 2013,
it was estimated that the state would need 8,243 more primary care
physicians by 2030, a 32 32 -
percent increase of its current workforce; and
WHEREAS, The state's ability to meet the need for primary care
osteopathic physicians (DOs) and allopathic physicians (MDs)
is directly affected by the number of medical residency slots
available in physician training programs across the state, and the
current amount number of graduate
medical education slots must be increased substantially; and
WHEREAS, DOs are one of the fastest growing segments of health
care professionals in the United States. By 2016, more than 100,000
DOs are expected to be in active medical practice; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 60 percent of practicing DOs specialize in
primary care fields such as family medicine, internal medicine, and
pediatrics, and many DOs fill a critical need by practicing in rural
and other medically underserved areas; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in 2020, osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD)
residency programs will be overseen by a single unified accrediting
body; and
WHEREAS, Quality medical training for DO and MD students is
critical to their success as fully trained and licensed
physicians; physicians, and all medical schools should
provide the support necessary for their students to receive the best
possible medical training; and
WHEREAS, Many public and private institutions have provided equal
access to the application process for their medical training programs
by all students and physicians, and have trained exemplary DO and MD
students by choosing those candidates who best suit their programs;
and
WHEREAS, In many areas of the state there are outstanding examples
of medical training programs that have been integrated effectively
and are providing DO and MD students with exceptional training
opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Section 2064.2 of the Business and Professions Code
states that no medical school or clinical training program shall deny
access to elective clerkships or preceptorships in any medical
school or clinical training program in this state solely on the basis
that a student is enrolled in an DO medical school; and
WHEREAS, Section 2453 of the Business and Professions Code states
that it is the policy of the state that holders of MD degrees and DO
degrees shall be accorded equal professional status and privileges as
licensed physicians and surgeons; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature urges both private and
public medical training institutions in the state to provide equal
access to DO and MD students to apply to training programs while
still maintaining the integrity and competitiveness of their
application process and the need to first serve enrolled students;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature urges DO medical schools, MD
medical schools, and their training institutions
to build on current successes of working toward greater collaboration
and coordination of education and training for California's future
physicians and for these medical schools to develop a plan to
adequately support medical training for their students and create
positive partnerships with medical training programs that are open to
both DO and MD students and graduates ; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature urges efforts by training
institutions and MD and DO DO and MD
medical schools to work toward greater acceptance and integration of
DO and MD students in their medical training programs; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.