COVID-19 resources for DOs and DO students: COVID-19 sick notes and a public policy roundtable

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the AOA’s top priority remains supporting the needs of DOs and osteopathic medical students.

We have assembled a resource page to help physicians and medical students navigate the global health crisis—whether you are caring for patients as a frontline health care professional or supporting in other ways.

AOA staff members are continuously updating this page as new information becomes available. Here are some of the latest updates.

COVID-19 physician/patient notes for employers

The AOA’s physician services department has developed template COVID-19 work notes for physicians to lessen their administrative burden. View the PDF versions with AOA watermarks or download the Word versions to customize them for your practice.

Public policy roundtable discussion June 30

As an exclusive benefit for Osteopathic Advocacy Network members, the AOA is hosting its third biweekly roundtable in which AOA public policy staff and DOs will discuss the latest on COVID-19 health care policy. The roundtable will provide you and your colleagues with an opportunity to ask questions and share your stories on the pandemic, which will help AOA staff craft future advocacy efforts.

The next roundtable discussion will be on Tuesday, June 30, at 12 p.m. ET. To receive the dial-in information, join the Osteopathic Advocacy Network (for free).

AOA letter to Congress sharing policy recommendations on behalf of physicians and patients

On June 17, the AOA called on Congress to preserve patient access to care both during the COVID-19 pandemic and after, and provide additional financial support to physicians so they will be able to continue providing quality patient care. Read the letter.

Application window for Paycheck Protection Program ends June 30

DOs in need of financial relief who own their own practices or other small businesses should be aware that the application deadline for the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program is June 30. Funding is still available and recent statutory changes have increased the program’s flexibility and the eligibility for loan forgiveness. Learn more about finding a lender.

AOASM releases Return to Training guidance

As COVID-19 quarantine restrictions ease and athletes around the country look to return to training, the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine (AOASM) released its guidance, “Return to Training: Management of the Athlete from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The document provides an inclusive plan athletes and teams can deploy for individualized return to training due to the variable outcome of the course of the disease and lack of evidence-based information concerning the novel virus.