American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA), Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) is responsible for accrediting osteopathic medical schools and residency programs in the United States. The COCA is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. COCA, founded in 1973, ensures that osteopathic medical education programs meet the accreditation standards set forth by the AOA, which include requirements related to curriculum, faculty, resources and student outcomes. The accreditation process involves a comprehensive review of the institution, site visits and evaluations of student performance and outcomes. Accreditation by COCA is important for osteopathic medical schools and residency programs because it provides recognition of the quality of education and training offered by these institutions. It also allows graduates of these programs to become licensed as osteopathic physicians and to participate in residency training programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).