Association of american medical colleges

Association of American Medical Colleges

Abbreviation	AAMC
Type	Nonprofit
Purpose	Medical education, Medical research, Health care
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States
Membership	U.S. and Canadian medical schools, teaching hospitals

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to transforming health through medical education, health care, medical research, and community collaborations. Its members are all 154 accredited U.S. and 17 accredited Canadian medical schools; nearly 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems, including 51 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and more than 80 academic societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC serves the leaders of America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals and their more than 173,000 full-time faculty members, 89,000 medical students, 129,000 resident physicians, and more than 60,000 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the biomedical sciences.

Mission and Goals

The mission of the AAMC is to improve the health of people everywhere by advancing the quality of medical education, patient care, and medical research. The organization aims to:

• Lead and support the academic medicine community to improve the health of all.
• Enhance the ability of medical schools and teaching hospitals to educate the next generation of physicians.
• Promote innovation in clinical and educational research.
• Address workforce needs including diversity in healthcare professions.
• Advocate for healthcare policy that aligns with the needs of patients and the academic medicine community.

Programs and Services

The AAMC provides a variety of programs and services to support the education and training of the medical workforce, including:

• The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a standardized test used by medical school applicants.
• The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), which streamlines the application process for medical residencies.
• The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), a centralized application processing service for applicants to the first-year entering classes at participating U.S. medical schools.
• Numerous professional development programs and conferences for medical educators, administrators, and students.

Research and Advocacy

The AAMC conducts and supports medical and healthcare research, particularly in areas that impact public health and policy. It advocates on behalf of the academic medicine community on key issues such as federal funding for medical research, healthcare reform, and graduate medical education funding.

History

The AAMC was founded in [Year] to serve the American medical education community. Since its inception, it has played a critical role in shaping the landscape of medical education and healthcare in the United States and Canada.

Challenges and Future Directions

The AAMC faces ongoing challenges such as adapting medical education to ongoing technological advancements, increasing diversity in medical professions, and addressing the distribution of healthcare resources. Moving forward, the AAMC continues to focus on innovation in medical education and advocacy for policies that ensure the health of all communities.