In 2017, Tennessee lawmakers introduced first-of-its-kind legislation to create a special licensing pathway to allow physician assistants who complete a newly created Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) degree program to provide primary care services under limited physician supervision.

The legislation was backed by Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) in Harrogate, Tennessee, which offers the only DMS degree program which would meet the criteria established by the bill (the DMS program is not AOA-accredited).

The AOA and the Tennessee Osteopathic Medical Association actively opposed this legislation, and in response to numerous concerns raised by stakeholders, LMU-DCOM released a statement on March 14 indicating that they would no longer pursue the legislation.