Pathways to Careers in Primary Care for Osteopathic Medical Students to Address Physician Shortages in New Jersey

This multifaceted, three-year initiative funded by a $3.9 million HRSA grant to increase the pipeline of osteopathic physicians entering primary care in New Jersey responds to documented shortages, only 17 physicians per 100,000 people in some area, and targets rural regions and communities of migrant workers where access to timely, affordable primary care is limited.

Central to the project are scholarships that cover half of in-state tuition for first-, second- and third-year medical students who demonstrate interest and commitment to family medicine; fifty-four students will receive scholarship support. The funding period began in fall 2024 and extends through June 2027, and scholarship recipients are expected to participate in structured curricular and experiential components intended to shape career trajectories toward primary care. Students in the scholarship track must attend regular seminars led by local primary care clinicians, providing open forums for discussion, mentorship and exposure to the realities and rewards of long-term patient relationships. First- and second-year students are required to shadow primary care practitioners, while third-year students complete rotations in primary care settings, promoting early and progressive clinical immersion. To reduce financial barriers and address a commonly cited deterrent to choosing primary care, student loan burden, the scholarship element directly decreases tuition obligations, thereby mitigating one factor that can push graduates toward higher-paid specialties.

Beyond tuition support, Pathways to Primary Care will fund summer research projects for first-year medical students, offer MCAT preparation for undergraduate students interested in medicine, and provide other academic supports that strengthen the pipeline into osteopathic medical education. A notable innovation is a new, mobile Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) clinic, built on SOM's existing student-run OMM clinic, which brings students and supervised clinical services into communities with the greatest need. The mobile clinic enables students to administer general exams and treat musculoskeletal conditions while fostering community relationships and exposing trainees to the practical impact of primary care in underserved settings. The program also includes development of a 3+3 pathway allowing students to complete medical school in three years, reducing time and potentially further lowering debt and time-to-practice. Collectively, these components aim to create a structured, supportive pathway for osteopathic students to choose and remain in primary care careers, particularly in New Jersey's underserved regions, enhancing access to high-quality, affordable healthcare and building long-term clinician community relationships.