75 Years of the Historic Partnership Between the VA and Academic Medical Centers
Background: The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) conducts the largest health professions education program in the country in partnership with academic medical, nursing, and associated health programs across the nation. After World War II, the VA was pressed to meet the increasing population of veterans needing health care and faced challenges in recruiting clinicians.
Observations: The passage of 2 legislative actions, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act and Public Law 79-293, and a key policy memorandum set the foundation for the partnership between the VA and academic medical centers that led to improved medical care for veterans and expansion of health professions education for the VA and the nation
.Conclusions: Since passage of these actions, the VA-academic health professions education partnership has grown to involve 113,000 trainees rotating through 150 VA medical centers annually from more than 1400 colleges and universities.
Policy Memorandum No. 2
The relationship between VA and academic medical centers was solidified on January 30, 1946, with adoption of Policy Memorandum No. 2.13 This memorandum allowed for the establishment of relationships with academic medical centers to provide “the veteran a much higher standard of medical care than could be given him with a wholly full-time medical staff.” Shortly after this memorandum was signed, residents from Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago began clinical rotations at the Hines VA facility in Chicago, Illinois.2 By 1947, 62 medical schools had committed to an affiliation with local VA hospitals and 21 deans’ committees were in operation, which were responsible for the appointment of physician residents and consultants. The AMA extended direct membership privileges to VA physicians, and by 1947 the number of residency positions doubled nationally.14,15 The almost universal support of the relationship between VA and academic affiliates provided educational opportunities for returning veterans and raised standards for medical education nationally.
Current State
Since the passage of PL 79-293 and PM No. 2, the VA-academic health professions education partnership has grown to include 113,000 trainees rotating through 150 VA medical centers annually from more than 1400 colleges and universities.16 Most VA podiatrists, psychologists, optometrists, and physicians working in VA medical centers also trained at VA, and trainees are 37% more likely to consider a job at VA after completing their clinical rotations. This unique partnership began 76 years ago and continues to provide clinicians “for VA and the nation.”
