AAMC (Ass Am Medical Colleges)

The American Association of Medical Colleges, a nonprofit association of the 125 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; more than 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems; some 90 academic and professional societies representing 75,000 faculty members; and the nation's medical students and residents. The purpose of the AAMC is to improve health through the advancement of academic medicine. In pursuing this purpose, the AAMC works 'to strengthen the quality of medical education and training, to enhance the search for biomedical knowledge, to advance research in health services, and to integrate education into the provisions of effective health care.' The AAMC is responsible for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) required of everyone applying to medical school in the U.S. and Canada.