BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | ACR 97|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: ACR 97
Author: Bonilla (D), et al.
Amended: 9/2/15 in Assembly
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: Read and adopted, 9/2/15
SUBJECT: Medical training: osteopathic students
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This resolution urges both private and public medical
training institutions to provide equal access to, and to work
toward greater acceptance and integration of, training and
education programs for both Osteopathic Physicians (DOs) and
Allopathic Physicians (MDs).
ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1)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.
2)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% increase of its current
workforce.
3)The state's ability to meet the need for primary care DOs and
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
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slots must be increased substantially.
4)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.
5)Approximately 60% 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.
6)Beginning in 2020, DO and MD residency programs will be
overseen by a single unified accrediting body.
7)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.
8)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.
9)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.
This resolution urges both private and public medical training
institutions to provide equal access to, and to work toward
greater acceptance and integration of, training and education
programs for both DOs and MDs.
Background
Osteopathic Physicians. DOs are similar to MDs in that both are
considered to be "complete physicians." A key difference
between the two professions is that DOs have an additional
dimension in their training and practice, one not taught in
medical schools which grant MD degrees. Both DOs and MDs take
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the prescribed amount of pre-medical training, graduate from an
undergraduate institution with an emphasis on science courses,
and receive four years of training in medical school.
Specifically, DOs must possess a Doctorate of Osteopathic
Medicine Degree from an accredited osteopathic medical school,
complete one year of post-graduate training, which includes at
least four months of general medicine, and complete all levels
of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners'
Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination.
The same laws govern the required training for DOs and MDs who
are licensed in California. In recognition of this fact,
Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 2453 states: "?it is
the policy of this State that holders of MD degrees and DO
degrees shall be accorded equal professional status and
privileges as licensed physicians and surgeons." Licensing
examinations for DOs are also comparable in rigor and
comprehensiveness to those given to MDs.
Training Programs. Prior to DO or MD students completing their
medical school education and entering into residency programs,
they must first complete the degree requirements for medical
school which may include elective clerkships. As part of
osteopathic medical school education, after successful
completion of the first two years of classroom-based education,
DO students are eligible to apply for elective clerkships as
part of their medical school curriculum. These clerkships are
often "hands-on" rotations which help inform many students about
the area or areas of medicine in which they would like to
practice. Many DO students will apply for these elective
courses at training institutions outside of the two osteopathic
medical schools in California. According to the author, in the
last year, there have been a number of training institutions
that have specifically excluded DO students from applying to
their programs for elective clerkships or rotations. Further,
the author notes that there was a fee differential for DO
students who applied for these programs compared to their MD
counterparts. Also, it was noted that DO student applicants
were required to have a higher United States Medical Licensing
Examination score compared to their MD counterparts.
BPC Section 2064.2 states that no medical school or clinical
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training program shall deny access to elective clerkships or
training programs solely on the basis that a student is enrolled
in an osteopathic medical school. While this does not require
institutions to accept DO students, it makes it clear that DO
students should not be denied access to these elective programs
solely based on their choice of medical education.
In an effort to encourage equity for both allopathic and
osteopathic medical students who are entering into training
programs, this resolution simply urges both public and private
medical training institutions to provide equal access to both
osteopathic and allopathic students in applying for training
programs and urges training institutions, along with allopathic
and osteopathic medical schools, to work together toward greater
acceptance and integration of its osteopath and allopath
students.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:NoLocal: No
SUPPORT: (Verified9/4/15)
American Osteopathic Association
California Medical Association
Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California
OPPOSITION: (Verified9/4/15)
None received
Prepared by:Melissa Ward / SFA / (916) 651-1520
9/4/15 16:42:37
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