[Filed with Secretary of State September 21, 2015.]
ACR 97, Bonilla. Medical training: osteopathic students.
This 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.
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-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 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, 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 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 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.
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