; Whereas osteopathic medicine— (1) confers all the benefits of modern medicine to diagnose and treat disease and injury; and (2) emphasizes helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on health promotion and disease prevention; Whereas— (1) osteopathic medical education emphasizes the interrelationship between the structure and function of the body; and (2) osteopathic medical students receive extensive training in both— (A) the neuromusculoskeletal system; and (B) osteopathic manipulative treatment, the therapeutic application of manual pressure or force used to treat structural and functional issues in the bones, joints, tissues, and muscles of the body; Whereas serving rural and underserved populations is a key pillar of AACOM and its member schools, and AACOM works to improve access to health care services, especially in rural and underserved areas of the United States; Whereas 60 percent of osteopathic medical schools are located in health professional shortage areas; Whereas 88 percent of osteopathic medical schools have a stated public commitment to rural health; and Whereas AACOM supports its member institutions as they educate the future physician workforce, increase awareness of osteopathic medical education and osteopathic medicine, promote excellence in medical education, policy, research, and service, and foster innovation and quality throughout medical education: Now, therefore, be it