The AOA accredits a number of different institutions and programs as well as approves osteopathic postdoctoral training programs.

Healthcare Facilities Accreditation

The AOA's Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) has been providing medical facilities with an objective review of their services since 1945. The program is recognized nationally by the federal government, state governments, insurance carriers and managed care organizations.

Predoctoral Accreditation

The American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) as the only accreditation agency for predoctoral osteopathic medical education in the United States.

Accreditation signifies that a college of osteopathic medicine (COM) has met or exceeded the COCA standards for educational quality with respect to mission, goals, and objectives; governance, administration, and finance; facilities, equipment, and resources, faculty, student admissions, performance, and evaluation; preclinical and clinical curriculum; and research and scholarship activity.

For more information regarding predoctoral accreditation and a copy of our Accreditation of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: COM Accreditation Standards and Procedures go to www.aoacoca.org.

OPTI Accreditation

Recognizing the need for a new system to structure and accredit osteopathic graduate medical education, the American Osteopathic Association established the Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institutions (OPTI) in 1995. Each OPTI is a community-based training consortium comprised of at least one college of osteopathic medicine and one hospital. Other hospitals and ambulatory care facilities may also partner within an OPTI. Community-based healthcare facilities such as ambulatory care clinics, rehabilitation centers and surgical centers may now have the resources and support necessary to provide physician training with an OPTI's assistance.

CME Accreditation

The AOA's continuing medical education program (CME) strives for growth of knowledge, refinement of skills, and the deepening of understanding for the osteopathic profession. The AOA Board of Trustees establishes accreditation policy for osteopathic CME sponsors. The Council on Continuing Medical Education (CCME) has been delegated authority by the AOA Board of Trustees to monitor osteopathic CME and to grant or deny Category 1 accreditation status to osteopathic CME sponsors.