Position Statement on SB 714
WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine
February 9, 2024
The WEST VIRGINIA OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (WVOMA) is an affiliate of the AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION (AOA) and is the leading organization representing the 1703 licensed Osteopathic Physicians (DOs) and over 800 Osteopathic Medical Students from the WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (WVSOM) the state’s largest medical school.
We stand with the AOA as FIRMLY OPPOSED to SB714 that would abolish the Osteopathic (DO) licensing board and transfer its duties to the MD licensing board. As the WV BOARD OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE is self-sustaining through applicant fees and fines, and is not subsidized by government, there would be no cost savings to the state in a consolidation or merger.
Further, The WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE operates very efficiently, as DO applications and discipline are processed on a continual rolling basis, allowing physicians to be licensed in a timely manner.
The WVOMA and AOA celebrate and support the unique contributions of DOs to the health of West Virginia’s citizens. We urge you to reject any attempt to eliminate the profession’s ability to self-regulate.