Oklahoma State University (OSU) Medical Center received strong support from the Oklahoma House of Representatives and state Senate in the recent ratification of House Bill 1127. OSU Medical Center is the primary teaching hospital for medical students at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (OSU-COM). The legislation, which provides for a $5 million yearly contribution from the state to the medical center for the next five years, is currently pending approval from Governor Brad Henry. The agreement will allow OSU Medical Center to remain open and maintain most of its residency programs on-site when Ardent Health Services donates the medical center to a local Tulsa trust. St. John Health System will provide management service under contract on behalf of the trust.

MSU Partners with Sparrow Hospital

Michigan State University (MSU) and Sparrow Hospital have signed an affiliation agreement to collaborate on improving the state’s health care and medical education. The partnership will solidify and enhance the relationship between the two institutions, providing better learning opportunities for osteopathic medical students as well as for students at the university’s other human health colleges. A Joint Academic Clinical Enterprise committee has been created to oversee the collaboration.

MWU Earns National Award for Community Service

Midwestern University (MWU) was recently named to the prestigious President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the second year in a row. The award is given by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. Recipient schools are chosen for demonstrating outstanding commitment to community service. Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) and Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) of Midwestern University faculty and students have a history of involvement in community service projects and activities, such as providing health care at area homeless shelters and raising public health awareness in underserved neighborhoods.

Bruce Bates, DO, Named UNECOM Founding Chair of Geriatric Medicine

Bruce P. Bates, DO, FACOFP, Chair and Professor for the Department of Family Medicine at University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM), has been named founding Chair of the college’s new Department of Geriatric Medicine. Dr. Bates joined UNECOM in 1984 as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs.

KCUMB-COM Collaborates with Kansas City Royals

Students and faculty members from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCUMB-COM) provided physicals and health screenings for more than 80 Kansas City Royals players from Central and South America and the Caribbean. KCUMB-COM representatives also joined forces with the Royals, providing free screenings and physicals to more than 400 Dominican Republic community members living around the Royals’ baseball academy.

VCOM Student Provides Help to Honduran Kids

When Tanya Tocharoen, a medical student at Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), traveled to the Dominican Republic to complete a rotation, it did not escape her attention that many children had no shoes. When she returned from the trip, she took up a collection from students, faculty members and others. On her next rotation, Tocharoen took the shoes to the small Honduran village of Vino, where she and her colleagues outfitted approximately 65 young kids with the donations.

PCOM Medical Students Help Overseas

Seven students from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) will travel to Ecuador on March 27 to treat patients in two local villages. The group will journey between Cacha and Manhangara, assisting a physician who is already there in caring for as many patients as possible. Many of the people who will be treated by the students are from farm families living in the rural Andes Mountains area.

Scholarships Available for PCSOM Students

The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority is offering Osteopathic Medicine Scholarships to in-state students planning to attend Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine (PCSOM). To be eligible, students must practice at least 2,000 hours of osteopathic medicine in Kentucky for each year that they receive the scholarship. The monetary amount available is the difference between tuition charged at PCSOM and the average tuition charged at in-state medical schools. For more information, contact Teresa Jones at tjones@pc.edu.