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American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine

EIN 23-7190271 · Bethesda, MD

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong96 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AACOM LEADS AND ADVOCATES FOR THE OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC. AACOM REPRESENTS AND ADVANCES THE CONTINUUM OF MEDICAL EDUCATION BY: SUPPORTING OUR MEMBER INSTITUTIONS AS THEY EDUCATE THE FUTURE PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE; INCREASING AWARENESS OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION AND OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE; PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL EDUCATION, POLICY, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE; AND FOSTERING INNOVATION AND QUALITY THROUGHOUT MEDICAL EDUCATION.

Income
$25.3 million
Spending
$21.4 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
29 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 89%
Employees
49
Volunteers
1,224
Highest pay
$639,042, president, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 29.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    52 of 52 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (9)
  1. $5.0 million spent. CENTRALIZED STUDENT APPLICATION SERVICE - PROVIDES A CENTRALIZED APPLICATION SERVICE FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO U.S. OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL COLLEGES BY ALLOWING THE STUDENTS TO APPLY TO MULTIPLE MEDICAL SCHOOLS USING ONE COMMON APPLICATION, AND STANDARDIZING THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR AACOM'S MEMBER COLLEGES. DURING THIS YEAR, 23,493 STUDENT APPLICANTS PARTICIPATED. AACOM ENGAGES IN RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOP AWARENESS ABOUT OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE AMONG POTENTIAL MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS. AACOM'S RECRUITMENT EFFORTS SEEK TO ATTRACT A DIVERSE AND ACADEMICALLY WELL-QUALIFIED POOL OF APPLICANTS FOR ITS MEMBER MEDICAL SCHOOLS.
  2. $2.1 million spent. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS - OVERSEES AACOM'S BRANDING AND STRENGTHENING THE VOICE AND INFLUENCE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE AND OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITIES. IT PROMOTES OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION WITH DIGITAL INITIATIVES, INCLUDING WEBSITES, EMAILS, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, CREATIVE CONTENT, AND PRINT EFFORTS. AACOM REACHES MILLIONS OF PROSPECTIVE OSTEOPATHIC STUDENTS, DEANS, FACULTY, AND OTHER DECISION MAKERS EACH YEAR.
  3. $2.1 million spent. LEARNING, INNOVATION AND RESEARCH SERVICES - COLLECTS AND ANALYZES STATISTICAL AND PREDICTIVE DATA ON OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION, INCLUDING DATA ON STUDENTS, FACULTY, CURRICULA, NEW SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT, AND SERVICE AT THE COLLEGES OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE. THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES THE DATA TO MEMBER COLLEGES, HEALTH POLICY MAKERS, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
  4. $1.9 million spent. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS - REPRESENTS THE ASSOCIATION'S CONSTITUENTS AND INTERESTS TO CONGRESS AND FEDERAL POLICY MAKERS IN LEADING THE ASSOCIATION'S CONGRESSIONAL AND FEDERAL POLICY ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THE OFFICE KEEPS CONSTITUENTS INFORMED OF FEDERAL POLICY AND REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS IN OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION AND THE OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS INFORMS FEDERAL LEGISLATORS OF THE NEEDS OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL STUDENTS, TRAINEES, AND OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATORS. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO WORKS IN CONCERT WITH VARIOUS NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COALITIONS TO INFLUENCE BOTH LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY ISSUES RELEVANT TO OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION.
  5. $1.7 million spent. MEMBER SERVICES - OVERSEES THE ASSOCIATION'S MEMBERSHIP APPROACH, IMPROVES MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND ONBOARDING, AND PROVIDES PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE.
  6. $1.6 million spent. ANNUAL CONFERENCE - RUNS A NATIONAL CONFERENCE THAT IS FOCUSED ON IMPORTANT TOPICS IN THE OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION CONTINUUM. THE CONFERENCE ALSO FOCUSES ON PROMOTING EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES AMONG THE COMMUNITY.
  7. $1.1 million spent. GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATORS INITIATIVES - FOCUSES ON VARIOUS PRIORITY ITEMS IN GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION INCLUDING INCREASING THE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS FOR OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL STUDENTS, INCREASING MANAGERS OF THESE PROGRAMS WHO ARE DO'S, MANAGING THE MEMBERSHIP FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF OSTEOPATHIC GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATORS, PROMOTING THE VALUE OF THE OSTEOPATHIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO RESIDENCY TRAINING AND PATIENT CARE, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PROGRAMS OBTAINING OSTEOPATHIC RECOGNITION, AND CREATING A LEARNING COMMUNITY FOR OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATORS.
  8. $563,142 spent. OFFICE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION - WORKS WITH MEMBER COLLEGES TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL EDUCATION FOCUSING ON ISSUES RELATED TO TEACHING, TECHNOLOGY, ASSESSMENT, ACCREDITATION, AND CURRICULUM THROUGHOUT THE CONTINUUM FROM UNDERGRADUATE TO GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION.
  9. $498,696 spent. PROJECTS & INITIATIVES - FOCUSES ON NEW OR ONE-TIME INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS EMERGING ISSUES FOR THE OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE COMMUNITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1972.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

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