The Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT or Oregon Tech) has announced its aspirations to establish a new College of Osteopathic Medicine designed to address the critical health care provider shortage in rural Oregon. The proposed future medical school is part of Oregon Tech’s broader health and wellness initiative, in collaboration with community partners and state agencies. This initiative aims to create Oregon’s first public osteopathic college of medicine and the second public medical school in the state. The new medical school will have a primary focus on training physicians for practice in Oregon’s rural communities.

The proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine would leverage Oregon Tech’s established expertise in health education, with nearly half of its graduates specializing in health-related fields. The initiative aims to help solve a statewide health care crisis that currently leaves 2.5 million Oregonians living in areas designated as “Health Professional Shortage Areas.” Currently, there is a 2,000:1 patient-to-doctor ratio in rural Oregon. That disparity is predicted to increase to 3,500:1 in the next decade, if nothing is done.

“This statewide initiative represents a transformative opportunity to address Oregon’s rural health care crisis while creating significant economic benefits for the entire state,” said Dr. Nagi Naganathan, president of Oregon Tech. “Research shows that physicians are five times more likely to establish practice in rural areas if they are trained in rural settings. This approach will address the deteriorating health care access gap that affects millions of Oregonians.”

The proposed medical school will be located at Oregon Tech’s Klamath Falls campus, with clinical training opportunities throughout Oregon. The university also plans to develop an innovative, technology- and artificial-intelligence-infused curriculum, resulting in accelerated three-year medical degree program options.

David Cauble, president and CEO of Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls and a member of the Oregon Tech Board of Trustees, expressed strong support for the initiative. “The health care situation in rural Oregon has reached a critical point. The proposed medical school addresses our critical physician workforce needs not only in Southern Oregon, but also all across the state of Oregon, while generating a substantial economic benefit for their communities. It is about creating healthier communities and a stronger economy for rural Oregon—the definition of a win-win proposition.”

Key features of the future College of Osteopathic Medicine include:

• Focus on training primary care physicians for rural practice.
• Technology-infused, accelerated curriculum that places doctors in the field faster and with less medical education debt.
• Emphasis on osteopathic medicine, which produces more primary care physicians.
• Partnerships with health care systems across Oregon for clinical training.
• Leveraging Oregon Tech’s existing medically-based health education infrastructure.

Oregon Tech is preparing to conduct a comprehensive planning study to develop a strategic roadmap for establishing the medical school. The initiative has garnered substantial positive support and interest from health care providers, community leaders and industry partners across the state.

For more information, visit www.oit.edu.