The Joint Osteopathic Organizational Leadership Coalition
The Joint Osteopathic Organizational Leadership (JOOL) Coalition is a collaborative group of leading organizations within the osteopathic medical profession. JOOL brings together senior osteopathic leadership to strengthen alignment, foster collaboration, and advance shared priorities that are critical to the future of osteopathic medicine. Its members include the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the American Society of Osteopathic Medical Regulators (ASOMR), the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), and the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME). Together, these organizations work to support and promote the osteopathic profession and improve healthcare outcomes.
Member Organizations
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)
Founded in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is the leading voice for the education and training of physicians who practice osteopathic medicine in settings across the medical spectrum—from primary care to the full range of medical specialties. We support our member colleges of osteopathic medicine in their efforts to attract and train individuals who are fueled by a desire to make a difference in our healthcare system by treating the whole person and building a future emphasizing health and wellness for all people. Today, more than 38,000 future physicians—close to 30 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 47 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 74 teaching locations in 36 states. To learn more about AACOM, please visit our website.
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 200,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; and serves as the primary certifying body for DOs. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit our website.
American Society of Osteopathic Medical Regulators (ASOMR)
The American Society of Osteopathic Medical Regulators is the organization that supports the distinctiveness and integrity of osteopathic medical licensure. It is the unified authority in matters that affect regulation, education, and advocacy in osteopathic medical licensure.
Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA)
The American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation is the only agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the pre-accreditation and accreditation of freestanding institutions of osteopathic medicine and osteopathic medical education programs leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree.
National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME)
The NBOME protects the public by providing the means to evaluate competencies for the distinctive practice of osteopathic medicine and advancing assessment across related health care professions. Since our founding in 1934, we have been recognized for excellence in the national and international arenas of osteopathic physician testing and evaluation. The NBOME develops and administers the COMLEX-USA, the licensing examination for the practice of osteopathic medicine
March 2026
The osteopathic medical profession has long recognized that improving health outcomes requires more than treating illness alone. Partnership with our patients in their health journey is crucial and foundational in providing osteopathic care. As national initiatives place greater emphasis on reducing chronic disease, osteopathic physicians remain dedicated to implementing patient-centered strategies that consider all relevant factors influencing health, including nutrition, physical activity, environmental conditions, and lifestyle choices. Across medical education, physician assessment, licensure, and professional development, the profession works to ensure physicians are prepared to support healthy living and deliver evidence-based, whole-person care.
To support these objectives, the following measures have been implemented:
- The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) spearheaded a “Food as Medicine” special session in 2024. Osteopathic medical education and professional organizations have continued to actively integrate nutrition and preventive care into the physician training continuum.
- The Council on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) has reaffirmed this commitment by updating accreditation standards to include comprehensive nutrition education, thereby ensuring that future osteopathic physicians are well-equipped to address prevention, manage chronic diseases, and promote whole-person health.
- The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) has released its Fundamental Osteopathic Medical Competency Domains 2026 framework, which guides assessment content and includes expanded focus on diet and nutrition in patient care. Additionally, a new assessment, COMAT-Nutrition in Patient Care, is scheduled for launch in 2027.
Across the osteopathic community, colleges of osteopathic medicine and partner organizations are advancing “Food as Medicine” initiatives, supporting research and educational grant programs focused on nutrition and preventive care, and expanding curricula for osteopathic medical students and osteopathic physicians, emphasizing lifestyle medicine and population health. Osteopathic leaders have also contributed to national public health and wellness initiatives, reflecting the profession’s longstanding leadership in prevention-focused healthcare and a coordinated commitment to whole-person care throughout training and practice.
Osteopathic physicians have long contributed to public health and wellness initiatives that advance prevention and empower patients to make informed decisions about their health. The Joint Osteopathic Organizational Leadership (JOOL) coalition reaffirms its commitment to working with osteopathic physicians and relevant stakeholders to advance solutions that prioritize prevention, strengthen the physician-patient relationship, and improve health outcomes for all Americans.