West Virginia Code
Article 14. Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons
§30-14-2. Definitions

"Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education" (ACGME) is the body responsible for accrediting the majority of graduate medical education programs for physicians (both medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine), including medical internship, residency, and fellowship programs;
"Accredited osteopathic college" means a college of osteopathy and surgery which requires as a minimum prerequisite for admission preprofessional training of at least two years of academic work in specified scientific subjects, as prescribed by the board or by the college accrediting agency of the American Osteopathic Association, in an accredited college of arts and sciences and which requires for graduation a course of study approved by the board in accordance with the minimum standards established by the American Osteopathic Association;
"American Osteopathic Association" (AOA) is the entity that serves as the primary certifying body for osteopathic physicians and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic graduate medical education. Prior to the implementation of a single accreditation system for graduate medical education in the United States of America under the ACGME, which began in 2015 and will be fully implemented by July 1, 2020, the AOA also served as the accrediting body for osteopathic graduate medical education programs in the United States of America;
"Approved program of post-graduate clinical training" means a program of clinical training approved by, or subject to approval by, the American Osteopathic Association or approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for the purposes of intern or resident training;
"Board" means the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine: Provided, That where used elsewhere in the code, the West Virginia Board of Osteopathy and Board of Osteopathy shall also mean the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine;
"License" means legal authorization issued by the board to a fully qualified osteopathic physician to engage in the regular practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery;
"Osteopathy" means that system of the healing art which places the chief emphasis on the structural integrity of the body mechanism as being the most important single factor in maintaining the well-being of the organism in health and disease;
"Permit" means a limited, legal authorization issued by the board to an osteopathic physician to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state while serving under special circumstances of public need or while undergoing post-graduate clinical training as a prerequisite to licensure;
"Reciprocal endorsement" means a duly authenticated verification of the board, addressed to a board or agency of another country, state, territory, province, or the District of Columbia, vouching that a license issued to an osteopathic physician and surgeon pursuant to the laws of this state is currently valid and not suspended or revoked for any cause or causes specified in this article.

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