Medical schools and teaching hospitals have partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for over 80 years, dating back to the end of World War II. The VA is an essential part of physician training in the United States and the partnership between academic medicine and the VA has helped shape the way doctors are trained in this country. Approximately 70% of all U.S. physicians complete at least part of their training in VA facilities.
AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, is one of the many physicians who have trained at the VA. Read this press release to learn more about his personal story.
Through the missions of medical education, research, and clinical care, the AAMC and America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals will continue to build on this important partnership to ensure veterans receive the health care they deserve.
80th Anniversary of Academic Affiliations
2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the affiliation between the nation’s medical schools, teaching hospitals, and the VA. What started as a simple idea in a time of great need has developed into an unprecedented private-public partnership grounded in our shared missions of education, health care, and research. In the post-war era, facing a critical physician shortage and millions of returning service members in need of lifelong care, the VA established affiliations with academic institutions under VA Policy Memorandum No. 2, making VA facilities an integral part of residency training. Today the VA’s Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) and Office of Research and Development (ORD) under the direction of the Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks (DEAN) partner closely with leading academic health systems and teaching hospitals to provide unparalleled educational opportunities for learners.
The VA and Academic Medicine: Partners in Health Care, Training, and Research
America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals and the VA collaborate in many ways, including training physicians, conducting medical research, and caring for VA patients.
Learn more about this historic partnership (PDF)
The Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA)
FOVA, for which the AAMC serves on the Executive Committee, was founded over 35 years ago to ensure that America’s veterans receive high-quality health care. Today, FOVA is a diverse coalition representing national academic, medical, and scientific societies; volunteer health and patient advocacy groups; and veteran-focused associations.
Among its many activities, FOVA members regularly brief members of Congress on the funding needs of the VA’s Medical and Prosthetic Research program, raise awareness of VA’s veteran-centric research initiatives, and host special events that highlight the VA’s cutting-edge research successes.
Explore some of FOVA’s most recent activities:
- Medical and Prosthetic Research program FY 2026 House Dear Colleague Letter (PDF) and Senate Dear Colleague Letter (PDF) (June 2025).
- FY 2026 budget recommendation (PDF) for $1.2 billion for VA research (May 2025).
- Statement for the record (PDF) for Senate Appropriations hearing, "Biomedical Research: Keeping America’s Edge in Innovation” (April 2025).
- Letter urging Congress to safeguard VA workforce (PDF) from a federal hiring freeze and mass dismissal of VA employees (February 2025).
AAMC and VA Webinars and Educational Resources
The AAMC provides educational resources for VA and academic medicine partnerships on a variety of ongoing topics relevant to the academic medicine community. This includes webinars on recent VA updates for credentialling and onboarding with VA health centers, advancements in VA community care scheduling software, and changes to disbursement policies.
The VA instituted new requirements for onboarding and new Health Professions Trainees (HPTs). Prior to implementation of this policy, HPTs were exempt from the standard federal background checks regular VA employees are required to undergo. Beginning with academic year 2025-2026, all new HPTs are required to undergo enhanced background checks. The AAMC and VA provide the resources for VA academic affiliates:
- Health Professions Trainee Day One Readiness Journey Map (PDF)
- AAMC OAA onboarding letter to stakeholders (PDF)
- Update on VA Health Professions Training Background Checks and Security Vetting (PDF)
- When to Conduct a Non-U.S. Citizen Check (PDF)
- Six Essential Questions for VHA Tier 1 Background Investigation/Foreign National Vetting (PDF)
- Information for Academic Affiliates: VA Enhanced Security Posture (PDF)
- Common eAPP Errors and Mistakes: Tips for a More Efficient Background Investigation (PDF)
Webinars
New VA Onboarding Procedure — Updates and Emerging Best Practices Resources:
- New Onboarding Procedure webinar recording
- New Onboarding Procedure presentation slides (PDF)
- Acknowledgement of GME Information Form (PDF)
- NRMP® Statement on Match Policy and Resident Security and Background Clearance Protocols
- VA Office of Academic Affiliations
The Veterans Health Administration HPT Background Check and Information Technology Issues webinar recording (September 2024).
The VA provided information on new HPT funding opportunities including an overview of the resident positions made available under Section 403 of MISSION Act, 2018.
VA Disbursement and Graduate Medical Education Expansion Updates (video) (May 2024).
The OAA joined the academic medical community to provide an update on the disbursement policy discussed during the June 2021 webinar.
VHA Updates: Disbursement Policy and Education Cost Contracts webinar (video) (November 2021).
VHA Updates: Disbursement Policy and Education Cost Contracts webinar presentation (PDF) (November 2021).
This one-hour webinar includes discussion on policies and procedures related to resident payment policies.
The VA and Academic Medicine Resident Payment Policies Webinar (June 2021).
The VA and Academic Medicine Resident Payment Policies Webinar Presentation (PDF) (June 2021).