AOA membership and board certification of residency graduates: comparison of three programs accepting osteopathic physicians--implications for graduate medical education

• Published in: The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association Vol. 104; no. 2; p. 82
• Main Author: Hayes, 3rd, Oliver W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2004
• Subjects: Certification; Education, Medical, Graduate - organization & administration; Family Practice - education; Humans; Internship and Residency; Osteopathic Medicine - standards; Specialty Boards
• ISSN: 0098-6151

The purpose of this study was to determine membership status in the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and osteopathic board certification status for osteopathic physicians completing osteopathic, allopathic, and dually accredited residency programs. Rates of AOA membership and osteopathic board certification of osteopathic graduates from a dually accredited residency were compared to rates of osteopathic graduates of an allopathic residency in the same training facility. These same two parameters were compared between the dually accredited residency and an osteopathic residency. Osteopathic graduates from the dually accredited residency had significantly higher rates of AOA membership and osteopathic board certification when compared with the osteopathic graduates of an allopathic residency. Moreover, no significant difference existed between the rates of these two measures for osteopathic resident graduates from the dually accredited residency when compared with graduates of an osteopathic residency. Implications of the results are discussed.