American Osteopathic Association - History

History

The association was founded as the American Association for the Advancement of Osteopathy on April 10, 1897, in Kirksville, Missouri, by students of the American School of Osteopathy. It was renamed the American Osteopathic Association in 1901.

In September 1901, the AOA began to publish a scientific journal entitled the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Subscriptions were offered to AOA members, and at the time, membership fees were $5 annually. The journal was published bimonthly for the first year, then monthly thereafter. In April 1927, the AOA began publishing "The Forum of Osteopathy," a monthly magazine that covered news relating to osteopathic medicine, the AOA, and related groups. In September 1960, the magazine was renamed The DO.

In the early 1900s, the AOA, citing concerns about safety and efficacy, was opposed to the introduction of pharmacology into the curriculum of osteopathic medicine. However, in 1929 the AOA board of trustees voted to allow the teaching of pharmacology in D.O. schools. By 1938, the AOA began requiring that osteopathic medical students have at least 1 year of undergraduate college coursework, and by 1940, the AOA required two years.

In 1952, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare recognized the AOA as the official accrediting body for osteopathic medical education. In 1967, the National Commission on Accrediting (currently the Council for Higher Education Accreditation) recognized the AOA as the official accrediting agency for all aspects of osteopathic medical education. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (currently the Department of Health and Human Services) recognized the AOA as the official accrediting body for osteopathic hospitals under Medicare in 1966.