The Institute of Medicine

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) serves as adviser to the nation to improve health. Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the IOM provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector, and the public. The mission of the IOM embraces the health of people everywhere.

The IOM's work centers principally on committee reports or studies on subjects ranging from quality of medical care to the national smallpox vaccination program; from centers of excellence at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to protecting the nation's food supply.

The majority of the IOM's studies and other activities are requested and funded by the federal government. Private industry, foundations, and state and local governments also initiate studies, as does the IOM itself.

The objective in all of the IOM's work is to improve decision-making by identifying and synthesizing relevant evidence to inform the deliberative process. Over its history, the IOM has become recognized through its projects as a national resource of judgment and veracity in the analysis of issues relating to human health.

Unique among IOM components, Health Policy Educational Programs and Fellowships (HPEPF) serves as the program office for:

  • The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows program
  • The IOM/American Academy of Nurses/American Nurses Foundation Nurse Scholars program
  • The Norman F. Gant/American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology/IOM Anniversary Fellows Program
  • The Congressional Health Staff Educational Program

This office supports programs and activities designed for specific health policy educational purposes; cultivates leadership capacity in health and healthcare; improves the quality of decision-making in Congress and the executive branch by providing knowledge and talent; and strengthens academic health centers and other health organizations by creating a cadre of sophisticated experts who are policy-savvy.

Visit the IOM's web site at www.iom.edu.