In 1937 sixty-six physicians, concerned about ensuring the future teaching of the basic osteopathic principles set forth by Andrew Taylor Still, met and founded the organization now called, The American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO).

Since that time, the Academy has grown to over 4,500 physician and student members, all of whom are dedicated to following and teaching the preventive and holistic philosophies of medicine which are osteopathy's trade mark. With an emphasis on palpatory diagnosis and manual medicine, members of the Academy are known for being physicians who use their hands as well as their heads and hearts to help the body heal.

The Academy is one of 22 practice affiliates of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in Chicago, the parent organization of the osteopathic profession. All US trained osteopathic physicians (DOs) are educated in the basic principles of osteopathy and are trained in the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) as part of the curriculum in colleges of osteopathic medicine and post-doctoral training in AOA-approved institution. While some of the Academy's physician members specialize in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) or neuromusculoskeletal (NMM) and OMM, the majority integrate the practice of OMM in a variety of osteopathic medical specialties, especially family practice.