Students apply to medical school by completing and submitting a primary application through a central application service (AMCAS or AACOMAS). This service standardizes the information from the application and forwards it to the medical schools indicated by the applicant. The next step of the application process is the secondary application. In secondary applications, medical schools request additional information from students, such as letters of evaluation and responses to essay questions. Some medical schools automatically invite all applicants to complete secondary applications, while others only invite applicants who meet minimum GPA and MCAT score criteria to complete them. Interviews normally take place between September and February for acceptance the following fall (although some schools continue to interview into the spring). Most admissions offers are made during fall and winter terms but some schools, including OHSU, continue to make offers through spring term (and even later in some cases for applicants who are admitted from wait lists).
These sites include a wealth of information about all aspects of training and testing:
Getting into medical school is not easy. In 2018, only 41% of all applicants were accepted, with a low MCAT score listed as the “biggest application deal-breaker” in the application. For students who are applying to medical school with a lower-than-average GPA or MCAT score, they might be weighing their options to see if there are is another way to earn the title of “doctor.”
There are dozens of medical specialties out there and various degrees associated with the medical field. There is more to the name “doctor” then you might realize. However, the terms “doctor” and “MD” are often used as synonyms, but this is not always the case. Licensed physicians can hold either an MD or DO degree. For students who are debating which path into medicine they want to take, they might be wondering why one is right for them and is one better than the other?
MD Vs. DO: Different Approaches
Both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools instruct their students in the necessary scientific foundations to become licensed physicians. However, the approaches the two schools take are very different. To obtain your medical doctor degree (MD), you must attend an allopathic medical school. Allopathic medicine uses science to diagnose and treat any medical conditions.
Osteopathic medicine is a little less-known and takes a more holistic approach. Doctors who receive their DO degree study something called osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a method that involves moving muscles and joints to promote healing. When OMT fits within a patient’s treatment plan, it can be used to complement drugs or surgery, adding another dimension to medical care.
Physicians with both an MD and a DO are licensed in all 50 states to practice medicine, perform surgeries and prescribe medication.
MD Vs. DO: Education
There are more than 152 accredited U.S. allopathic colleges, whereas there are just 35 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine. Naturally, that means that there are more MDs than DOs, with roughly 25% of all doctors receiving their degree from an osteopathic medical school. The National Resident Matching Program surveyed all active medical school students who participated in the 2018 Main Residency Match. The number of seniors who attended allopathic medical school in 2018 numbered at 18,818 whereas the students of osteopathic medical schools numbered at just 4,275.
There is a stigma surrounding DOs and the level of work and academic success you must have achieved to be accepted. Years ago, it was believed that earning a degree in osteopathic medicine versus allopathic medicine was the more easily-accessible path to becoming a doctor.
As the gap has lessened, it can be just as difficult to be admitted into a DO program compared to an MD one. The average MCAT score for matriculants into a medical school was a 510.4, on the other hand, the average MCAT scores for matriculants into a college of osteopathic medicine averaged around 502.2.
Once they enter into their respective medical schools, the path to becoming a doctor is very similar. Both MDs and DOs have earned bachelor’s degrees and then attend a four-year medical school. While in med school, they both learn the same basic knowledge regarding anatomy, physiology and pharmacology.
DOs spend an additional 200 hours learning about nerves, muscles, bones and how the connection between them will affect their patients’ overall health. When doctors of osteopathic medicine enter into the workforce, they can incorporate that training into their day-to-day patient interactions if they choose.
MD Vs. DO: Exams
The allopathic and osteopathic paths to becoming a doctor begin to split once the students take their licensing exams. Students at allopathic schools take the USMLE series, while osteopathic students often take the COMLEX sequence. Both of these exams are three-step exams and prospective doctors take them between the end of their second year of medical school and their first year of residency.
However, DOs can take the USMLE exam as well as the COMLEX sequence. While it does add considerably to the student’s workload, it is worth it if they are considering a residency program that requires the USMLE.
These two exams might cover similar topics, but they are a bit different in the testing style. In general, allopathic students are better prepared for taking the USMLE examinations and tend to do better than osteopathic students. The mean USMLE Step 1 Score for all matched U.S. allopathic seniors was 233 while the mean USMLE Step 1 Score for all matched US osteopathic seniors was 227.
Ultimately, the student needs to assess their own individual goals and interests when deciding if they should take the USMLE. The USMLE will increase the number of programs the student can apply to and will deliver them greater access to more specialized programs. However, depending on the residencies the student is interested in, the USMLE might not be necessary for an osteopathic student.
Osteopathic students should be confident that they will do well on the USMLE before committing to taking it. According to the 2018 NRMP (National Resident Matching Program) Program Director, of the 1,333 programs surveyed, only 2% said that the USMLE was not required. Thirty percent of the program directors said they would never admit a student who failed the USMLE on their first attempts, and 58% said they would seldom admit a student who failed.
Of those schools, 46% of programs said that they do use the COMLEX-USA exam when considering which applicants to invite for an interview. Taking the USMLE helps put the students on an even playing field; the directors can compare the students more easily if they have all taken the same exam.
MD Vs. DO: Residency
According to the National Resident Matching Program, allopathic seniors preferred the specialties of radiology, neurological surgery, orthopedic surgery, and plastic surgery. They least preferred to match with a residency in pathology, family medicine, or internal medicine.
On the other hand, osteopathic medical seniors preferred family medicine, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and psychiatry more than other specialties. They were less likely to apply for a residency in otolaryngology, plastic surgery, radiation oncology, and orthopedic surgery.
Overall, 91.8% of US allopathic seniors matched with their preferred specialty. 82.6% of US osteopathic seniors paired with their preferred specialty.
As of 2019, MD students could only match with programs that were accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and DO students could match with residencies that are accredited by either the ACGME or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). However, this is all about to change. In July of 2020, the accreditation councils will merge to form a single GME Accreditation system, allowing MD and DO students to apply to any residencies.
The purpose of this merger is to create a more consistent method of evaluating residencies. It will affect both current and future DO students, who no longer will have a safe haven of residencies that only DO students can apply to. That means that allopathic students will have more opportunities open to them, perhaps at the expense of weaker DO students.
When choosing between DO and MD, you should consider what you want your future specialty to be, as your chances of matching with your desired program can increase depending on if you go to an allopathic or osteopathic medical school. Being a DO does not make you any worse or better of a doctor. Your residency and your action will determine that, not what letters follow your name.
Research for this article was contributed by Moon Prep college counselor, Lindsey Conger.
The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is located in the heart of the Southwest region of the United States. Nestled in the Mesilla Valley beneath the majestic Organ Mountains, the Las Cruces community is a culturally and socially diverse population with a unique set of healthcare needs.
Since opening our doors in 2016, our campus has been committed to improving healthcare for the people and the future of New Mexico, Southern Arizona, West Texas, and Northern Mexico through culturally respectful undergraduate, graduate, and continuing osteopathic medical education, research, and support of clinical service to the community.
At Burrell College, we have a vision to significantly impact the physician workforce needs in one of the most medically underserved areas in the country. We are dedicated to providing access for all to quality medical services and increasing diversity in the physician workforce, particularly among Hispanic and Native American populations.
Hundreds of students have already joined our program, which fosters a practice of life-long learning, compassion, respect, and excellence. Since graduating our first class in 2020, we have placed over 278 doctors across the nation, 86 of those staying to train in the Southwest. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the country, our students sprang into action, volunteering over 400 hours toward COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts.
Our evidence-based osteopathic medical education program enables students to demonstrate the knowledge and competencies required to enter graduate medical education and the practice of osteopathic medicine. Our medical students train in over 300 hours of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, in addition to standard medical training, to produce physicians as equally versed in preventative care as they are in treatment.
Our students have expressed a desire and dedication to serving the underserved, and they have embraced the Burrell College pledge to foster inclusiveness and cultural awareness among all learners and educators. These future physicians will enter the workforce prepared to effectively address the health needs of the diverse populations living in the southwest border region.
The city of Las Cruces is home to over 100,000 residents, with another 840,000 just down the road in El Paso County. This unique area is a hub for the industries of aerospace, agriculture, defense, education, filmmaking, manufacturing, and commerce. Sunland Park and Las Cruces are two of the fastest growing cities in New Mexico and, as our homeland continues to grow, Burrell College will continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs for competent, well-trained health care professionals.
Burrell College is building cooperative bonds all over the region, starting with our campus partner New Mexico State University. Our unique partnership with NMSU allows our students to enjoy the student life and campus community benefits that come with a major public university such as athletic events, health resources, intramural sports, recreational facilities, and transportation.
Burrell College also has signed collaborative agreements with over 500 physician preceptors and 80 hospitals and healthcare facilities, allowing our third- and fourth-year students to gain hands-on clinical training in a variety of settings, from the major metropolitan hubs of Albuquerque and Tucson to mid-sized cities like Las Cruces and Santa Fe, to the smaller, rural communities and pueblos that make up the state of New Mexico. Our commitment to graduate medical education and physician retention has also led to the creation of over 140 new residency positions, with many more in the works.
Burrell College supports faculty and students in their efforts to advance knowledge by creating an atmosphere of inquiry and discovery that inspires excellence in scholarship and medical practice. With an emerging research program and technologically advanced teaching tools, our campus is on the cutting-edge of medical and educational discovery. Burrell College is the future of healthcare in the Southwest.
The best free PDF editors allow you to quickly make changes to a Portable Document Format (PDF) file without spending a thing. While you won’t get all of the sophisticated features that come with a paid PDF editor, a free PDF editor should be more than enough to create PDFs and make simple edits to them.
The best free PDF editors provide basic editing and document-creation abilities but sometimes, they toss in a few surprising extras. Many free PDF editors allow you to annotate PDFs and some can even recognize scanned text - all at no extra cost.
At Tom’s Guide, we’ve tried and used half-a-dozen free PDF editors and compared them to their paid counterparts. These are the best free PDF editors you can get today if all you’re looking to do is to make a few simple edits to a PDF file.
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
PDF Candy may be one of the more compelling free PDF editors, mostly because it offers an OCR option not available in other free PDF editors.
While you can't edit the OCR'd text directly within PDF Candy's web-based PDF editor, you can upload a PDF file and have PDF Candy extract text and create a text document, RTF file, or Word document in both .doc and .docx formats.
PDF Candy's tool set is formidable. You can use 44 tools to create or convert PDF files. Additionally, you'll find tools for rearranging pages within a document, adding watermarks, protecting PDF files with passcodes, editing metadata within a PDF file, splitting or adding pages to documents, and extracting images.
All these tasks are as simple as selecting the tool, uploading a document and allowing PDF Candy to work its magic.
When you finish one task on a document, you'll get a list of other tools you can use for different tasks. Once your changes are complete, you can get the edited document or upload a new document to work on. PDF Candy keeps all of your documents in a queue so you can get them all at once after you've finished making changes to them.
While the actual text-editing tools in PDF Candy are as limited as on every other free PDF-editing app, everything else PDF Candy has to offer puts it head and shoulders above the other free options.
PDFescape is an excellent option for online PDF editing. Simple to use and available to anyone with a web browser, PDFescape may be all you need to edit and annotate PDF files.
Previously, PDFescape had a limit of either a 10MB or 50-page PDF file. That 10MB file-size limit remains in place, but you can now edit files of up to 100 pages for free.
PDFescape offers ample annotation tools. You can use the app to fill out forms, create form fields, insert text and web links, highlight text, add sticky notes, redact or strike out text, crop and rotate images, add or remove pages and even lock and encrypt PDF documents.
You'll have to contend with severely limited font options, however. PDFescape offers five fonts, one of which is a generic "signature" font that looks nothing like your own signature. But otherwise, you'll find a lot more tools in PDFescape than you will in the typical, bare-bones free PDF editor.
Apple's Preview application is built into every version of macOS, including macOS BIg Sur. Not only is it capable of working with PDF files, but it also offers a number of other image-editing features. It is the multitool of the image-editing universe, capable of opening virtually any image file you may encounter.
The bulk of Preview's markup capabilities aren't obvious when you first open the app, although you'll find a few basic tools for rotating pages and highlighting text on the basic toolbar.
Preview's full set of markup tools appears when you click a small markup button that looks like a pencil tip located next to the search tool in the Preview toolbar.
Those markup tools include text-selection options; drawing tools you can use to add freehand drawings to a document; a text tool for adding additional text to a document; a tool that adds shapes and notes; and a signature tool that you can use to capture your signature using your Mac's camera, a tablet or your trackpad.
Preview is a solid option for basic PDF editing, and if you own a Mac, accessing Preview's powers is as simple as launching the app.
FormSwift offers a slightly different twist on PDF editing. While it gives you the option to upload and edit PDF files, it also offers a large library of legal and other business forms you can fill in online and get as a PDF file or Word document.
I found FormSwift's offerings to be excellent and well worth a look if you need basic business documents such as 1099s, lease agreements and business meeting minutes.
All of these forms can be filled out online and downloaded once you've added the pertinent information. Or you can get blank versions of the documents and enter information locally on your computer.
For PDF editing, the process is simple. Drag a file to your browser — there's a 10MB max size — then use FormSwift's tools to add new text and images; highlight, redact or erase existing text; and sign documents.
FormSwift's text tools are limited. You have four fonts to choose from, but you can resize those fonts to almost any level you want, and you can also make changes to text colors and styles. You can add a new text field to your document, enter new text and adjust the text, placing it anywhere you want on the document.
But there is no way to make changes to existing text, other than by redacting it. All the other tools work as expected, including a signature tool that lets you sign a document using the keyboard, your mouse or an uploaded image.
Smallpdf's free online PDF editing offering is super-basic, only making it possible to add minor changes to documents.
But you may find Smallpdf's other free features more compelling. These include tools for converting PDF files to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and JPEG. You can also convert each of those file types to PDF.
Basic as it may be, Smallpdf can add pages to or compress existing PDF documents. Additionally, there are tools for adding signatures to documents that are similar to those available with Apple's Preview application on a Mac.
All of this is available with no file-size limitations, but Smallpdf lets you process only two documents per day. If you want to do more, you'll have to upgrade to the Pro plan, which gives you Smallpdf desktop applications as well as unlimited processing.
As with all online PDF editors, you begin using Smallpdf by dragging the file you want to work with directly to your browser window.
For editing PDFs, you have four options to work with: Add Text, Add Image, Add Shape and Draw. You'll note that there are no options to add notes or comments, and no way to highlight existing text. If you need to add annotations or otherwise mark up a PDF document, you should look elsewhere.
Even if the four options offered seem to be enough for you, you'll still feel constrained within each of those tools. Add text, and you have only five size options and no font choices (although you can select serif, sans serif and monotype styles for your single font choice). You're also limited to seven font colors.
While Smallpdf may lack anything beyond the basics for editing PDF files, it's much more appealing for adding electronic signatures, converting or compressing files and merging documents.
Picking the best free PDF editor is a lot like choosing a paid version of a document editor as you first need to identify exactly what you want to do with PDF files and go for the program that offers the features needed to accomplish your goals.
This can be as simple as deciding whether you need a PDF editor that can handle document creation and design or whether you just want a program that allows you to leave comments and suggestions on a PDF.
As this is free software, you should pay attention to any limitations that are imposed on the free tier. Are there restrictions on the size of the documents you can edit or are certain tools locked behind a paywall. If you need access to these tools, then it may be worth paying for those particular features.
If you’re doing your PDF editing on a computer, first check to see if you have built-in software that can handle the job. For instance, Mac users might not realize just how good Preview is at annotating documents and adding signatures to PDFs. You can save a lot of time searching for the best free PDF editor if you already have access to all of the features you need.
When testing free PDF editors, we used the same process as when we test paid PDF editors. However, we make note of the limitations that can come with free software. We also considered both general PDF editors as well as applications specifically designed for annotations.
When looking at free PDF editors, we used a few different types of documents that comply with file-size restrictions. These included text-heavy files, documents with a mix of formatted images and text and simple documents with text and images inserted in a linear fashion.
While free apps often don’t include features like text recognition, we did test this feature when it was available. We also tried making changes to text, replacing and adding images and adding notations to each product we tested.
For more on our testing procedures, check out this guide on how Tom’s Guide tests, reviews and rates products.
Nov. 27—For the past six months, Dr. Beth Longenecker has engaged in juggling, planning, budgeting and imagining at the University of Northern Colorado.
Building a college of osteopathic medicine is a labor-intensive effort, and while Longenecker has experience with a start-up as part of more than 20 years in medical education, a couple of her current tasks are new, such as fundraising about $150 million and finding a physical location for the school.
As the founding dean of the proposed college, Longenecker didn't turn first to those issues when she arrived in Greeley last summer. They remain important and ongoing in the larger picture of building the college.
At the top of her to-do list was to write a plan for the school's mission, vision and values — an in-progress document Longenecker called the "driver" of the college.
The mission, vision and values will set the UNC school with a structure while defining its culture and identity for faculty and staff.
"How do we treat each other as the folks who work at the medical school? And how do you model that kind of conversation and identity to our students so they're more effective with their patients?" Longenecker asked.
Longenecker's start in June and her work into the middle of next year represents the latest step in the university's lengthy journey to opening the third medical school in Colorado. While UNC could welcome students in 2025 or 2026 — they're working toward both dates — the effort remains in the early stages of development.
Since UNC President Andy Feinstein introduced his idea to the UNC community for the medical college in July 2021, university leaders have moved deliberately with the vision of filling a need for the looming shortage of physicians and other health care professionals statewide.
Data from consulting firm Tripp Umbach for a feasibility study on the new school reported more than 1,700 primary care physicians will be needed in Colorado by 2030 — a 49% increase over the past decade. The study also said Colorado has the 10th highest rate in the U.S. of active physicians older than 60. In 2019, nearly 30% of Colorado physicians were at least 60.
"The physician workforce isn't growing," said Dr. Brenda Campos-Spitze, a Sunrise Community Health family physician who was named to Longenecker's advisory board for the new school. "So what happens is — those of us who are here — while our patient panels should only be this big to responsibly care for patients, we have so many more patients. If the school will bring more physicians into the community, I think that would be a huge service, especially if the physicians they're training are interested in working with underserved populations."
Longenecker's advisory committee is comprised of representatives from the Greeley community, UNC and five northern Colorado physicians. Campos-Spitze earlier this month was appointed to the Greeley-Evans School District Board of Education. She wanted to serve on the advisory committee to help create a link for District 6 students to get into UNC and the college of osteopathic medicine.
The school district has a health and science academy pathway with courses at Greeley Central High School. In her medical training, Campos-Spitze has seen a "pipeline" program beginning with K-12 students and running through college and medical schools.
"That would be my life dream to create a similar program here in Greeley," Campos-Spitze said. "It's been done before, and I think it can be done again."
The other four physicians on the advisory committee are Dr. Mark Wallace, chief clinical officer at Sunrise Community Health, former executive director of the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment and a UNC graduate; Dr. Brian Davidson, an early supporter of the medical college, a regional physician executive with Banner Health and a UNC graduate; Dr. Maurice Lyons, a Banner Health cardiothoracic surgeon who's also backed the UNC school; and Dr. Seth Septer, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Denver Children's Hospital and UNC graduate.
Wallace, Campos-Spitze and Davidson are medical doctors. Lyons and Septer are doctors of osteopathic medicine . Graduates of allopathic medical programs receive a doctor of medicine, or MD, as an academic degree. Graduates of osteopathic programs receive a doctor of osteopathic medicine, or DO. Students coming out of MD and DO schools continue their training in residency, and they must pass the same licensing examination before they can treat others and prescribe medication.
Other members of the advisory committee include UNC graduate John Schmidt, a co-CEO of WeFi Technology Group and managing partner of Jam Capital LLC; Tom Grant, a Greeley attorney and chairman of the board of the Weld Trust; Ben Snow, Greeley's director of the department of economic health and housing; Kamel Haddad, dean of UNC College of Natural and Health Sciences; Melissa Henry, director of UNC School of Nursing; Jeri-Anne Lyons, UNC associate vice president of research and dean of the graduate school; Mit McLaughlin, chairman of UNC department of biological sciences; Yvette Lucero-Nguyen, director of Stryker Institute for Leadership Development & Center for Women's and Gender Equity at UNC; and Shukuru Rushanika, a UNC undergraduate studying pre-med.
Longenecker created the advisory committee when realized she needed a "sounding board" and help in building the college. Longenecker earned a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991. She was the dean of the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine's Athens Campus for three years before coming to UNC. She was just the second female dean at OU-HCOM since its creation in 1975.
Longenecker's background also includes work as an associate dean of clinical education at Midwestern University's Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and associate dean of clinical services at William Carey University's College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Longenecker wanted to take on the role of founding dean at UNC partly because of the challenge. Longenecker went into emergency medicine after graduating from medical school. During her senior year of residency, she was asked by program directors and faculty why she had not considered teaching for her next job.
Longenecker was chief resident for one year in the late 1990s at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. She applied for faculty positions in New York City and later was a program director of an emergency medicine residency program in Miami. Longenecker eventually earned a master's degree in medical education.
"Looking at this, the fact that it was a public university really was a draw," she said. "The fact that there is such a physician need in the state was a draw. It kind of hit all the buttons of, 'They really need another medical school there.' This would be a great environment in which to create this osteopathic medical school."
Another key part of Longenecker's work as the founding dean is leading UNC through the accreditation process. UNC will do this through the Commission on Osteopathic Accreditation, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Commission accreditation signifies a college has met or exceeded standards for educational quality.
UNC is in the applicant status phase, which is the first step on the path to accreditation.
Earlier this year, UNC succeeded in advocating for legislation allowing it to offer doctor of osteopathy degrees. There was a longstanding state statute granting the University of Colorado the right to be the only public medical school in Colorado.
Gov. Jared Polis signed the bipartisan bill authorizing UNC's school in March.
The other existing medical school in Colorado is Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, a private institution with a campus in Parker. As a private medical college, Rocky Vista did not need to address the state statute relating to the University of Colorado. Rocky Vista was established in 2006 and opened to students in 2008.
Longenecker said UNC can't move to the next step in the accreditation process until she's been in the founding dean role for one year. This allows the dean time to work on the school's mission, figuring out matters such as hiring and determining a broad look at curriculum.
The next phase will be known as candidate status, when UNC will bring in faculty, narrow in on curriculum and create policies for students. Next will be pre-accreditation, when UNC may begin recruiting students and marketing the college.
Longenecker said colleges of osteopathic medicine have seven years to graduate their first class once arriving at the candidate phase. The school has five years to graduate the first class at the pre-accreditation step.
Longenecker said the medical school's integration into the university at large will be unique.
"UNC is the perfect culture to create this really meshed medical school," Longenecker said. "We have a chance within the university community to leverage expertise that you don't see in the average medical where we can really integrate the folks with expertise in communication with others to help inform our curriculum."
Longenecker has heard from representatives in the communications department asking to interact with future medical students to help them be more effective in communicating with patients. She's also heard from representatives from education and business departments too, inquiring about how they might contribute to the medical college's work on teaching and guiding students through the debt process.
The average debt of a graduating medical student is about $250,000, Longenecker said.
Longenecker's experience in osteopathic medicine and administration also includes work as a site inspector in the accreditation process at other institutions.
"It's great background to actually know what they've done and how they've started their schools," she said
The advisory committee at UNC has provided Longenecker feedback on the mission, vision and values. The content remains in draft form, and it's scheduled to go to the UNC board of trustees for approval in February.
Longenecker and UNC hope to have a better idea on a location for the medical college in January. Multiple options are being evaluated with a program planner, SmithGroup, including UNC's Bishop-Lehr Hall on 20th Street. Longenecker said the location will depend on funding — if the university can build a new building or if it will look to remodel or renovate.
The university is also working on program plans for the next 10 years, Longenecker said, and the results of those plans are related to or likely impact the medical school effort.
She said the medical college will need a building with about 100,000 square feet. Though the cost analysis is yet to be completed, Longenecker said the cost to furnish and equip the building will be between $75 million to $85 million.
Other dollar figures in the plans for the medical college are:
* $42 million for a teach-out escrow, which is a contingency fund in the event accreditation does not come through and UNC needs to reimburse students;
* $6.5 million currently collected to allow the college to operate for its first two years and maybe into the third year; and
* $22 million to be raised for operational expenses to help the college until it reaches its financial break-even point that should come in the third year of students as it begins to bring in more tuition revenue.
The university is strategizing to determine how to source this funding. Funds will be raised through a variety of avenues — mainly through philanthropy, but "opportunities are also being explored for one-time state and local government support and partnerships."
Diversity, equity and inclusion will be a focus of the school, Longenecker said. UNC has an undergraduate population that is about 25% Hispanic/Latino, and this area of northern Colorado is home to a rapidly growing Latino population.
There were 62.5 million people of Latino descent in the U.S. last year comprising 19% of the total population, according to Pew Research Center. Yet, only 6% of all practicing physicians nationwide are Latino.
It's a statistic both Longenecker and Campos-Spitze want to change — by looking at how they might educate Latino communities about opportunities in health care.
Working with students early in their schooling and determining where pipeline programs might be established can help address the inequality, Longenecker and Campos-Spitze said.
"Recruit all the way from high school through undergraduate into a medical school to provide those opportunities for students to realize, 'I could be a doctor and go back home and take care of my community,'" Longenecker said.
Developing this reality is a value of the school as it's currently outlined. There are also questions about how pipeline programs will be set up and where they'll be located, and a matter of how to guide and serve first-generation students. Longenecker said 41% of UNC students in undergraduate programs are first-generation college students, meaning their parents did not earn a four-year degree.
There is "a desperate need" for physicians in the rural U.S., Longenecker said. Of the more than 7,200 federally designated health professional shortage areas, three of five are in rural areas, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The AAMC says 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural communities, but only 11% of physicians practice in those areas.
A University of Colorado School of Medicine spokesperson said late last year there are two key factors in determining where doctors settle to practice: the location of their residency training and where they were raised or grew up.
More than 50% of doctors remain in the state where they worked as residents, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The association said last year 57.1% of residents who completed their training from 2011-2020 continued to practice in the state where they finished their residencies.
"If I can recruit someone from a rural environment who's used to living in a town of under 10,000, they're more likely to go home or go to another community of that size," Longenecker said.
(c)2022 the Greeley Tribune (Greeley, Colo.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, set in picturesque coastal Maine, transforms students into health care leaders who advance patient-centered, high-quality osteopathic care, community health, and research for the people of Maine, New England, and the nation. Maine's only medical school, UNE COM is recognized for excellence in primary care, osteopathic manipulative medicine, and geriatric education. With a collaborative and supportive academic community, we empower our students to discover their unique potential so they may make their own special contributions to the health of individuals and communities whom they come to serve.
A Leader in Osteopathic Medicine
Osteopathy is a branch of medicine that recognizes the interrelated unity of all bodily systems and emphasizes "whole person care." Osteopathic doctors take the time to understand each patient individually and address not just symptoms of illness or injury but wellness and prevention as well. A leader in osteopathic medicine for more than 50 years, UNE COM provides an innovative, contemporary, patient-focused curriculum that fosters life-long, self-directed, evidence-based learning and professional development. A thorough grounding in the manual skills of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) is provided in the first two years, during which COM students study on campus, and is then supplemented, reinforced, and expanded in the clinical rotations of years three and four.
An Interprofessional Approach
With programs in nursing, anesthesia practice, physician assistant, pharmacy, dental medicine, dental hygiene, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition, social work, and public health, UNE is truly a comprehensive health professions university. A national leader in interprofessional education, we emphasize working collaboratively across the health professions, preparing our graduates to thrive and lead in today's team-based health care system. With plans underway to relocate UNE COM to our Portland location, we will soon physically unite all of our health programs on one health professions campus, allowing us to fully integrate our programs and enhance our adoption of interprofessional education practices.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
The new 110,000-square-foot facility housing UNE COM will reflect best practices in medical education and team-based learning, including flexible classrooms, superb technical capabilities, and spaces designed to encourage collaboration and interaction. The building, located in the heart of Portland, Maine, one of America's most popular small cities, will also include an interprofessional patient simulation center as well as a digital health teaching center.
Exquisite Maine Location
UNE COM is the number one provider of physicians in Maine. And it is no wonder so many of our graduates want to stay. Located on the beautiful southern Maine coast, UNE provides the perfect atmosphere for both study and recreation. With access to Maine's mountains, beaches, fields, forests, and lakes, outdoor activities await no matter the season. A popular vacation destination, the area offers vibrant art scenes and a plethora of dining options as well as friendly, welcoming people who appreciate UNE's contributions to the community.
Expansive Clinical Training
UNE COM offers clinical training through a broad array of partner affiliate health care centers throughout the Northeast. By placing students in one location for the duration of their third year, we provide a consistent educational experience and an opportunity to develop lasting relationships with hospital administrators and faculty. Fourth-year students continue their learning with selective and elective clinical rotations at UNE COM-approved programs of their choice. By emphasizing rural care clinical experience, we offer our students unique opportunities that often serve as a launching board for eventual practice in Maine, while also delivering an important service to Northern New England's communities.
Abundant Research Opportunities
With nine Centers of Excellence, including those focused on aging, neurosciences, pain, collaborative education, digital health, and public health, opportunities for medical student research abound at UNE COM Students may apply to conduct research projects through the Student Research Fellowship program or through UNE COM Student Government Association in order to obtain experience in biomedical, clinical, experiential, or translational research either at UNE or at other locations nationally or globally.
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BOSTON, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The osteopathic medical profession's largest conference, , will gather more than 5,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and medical students for four days of education, networking and inspiration. For the first time ever, OMED will take place using a hybrid format offering in-person participation in Boston Oct. 27-30, as well as virtual participation via an on-demand platform.
Hosted by the American Osteopathic Association, the annual medical conference features a lineup of nationally renowned Main Stage speakers, as well as more than 200 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credit spanning 18 medical specialties. Attendees may claim up to 60 hours of dually accredited CME (AOA and ACCME).
OMED is truly the only conference of its kind.
'OMED is truly the only conference of its kind,' said Ernest R. Gelb, DO, President of the American Osteopathic Association. 'In addition to offering cutting-edge medical education focused on the latest clinical advancements, OMED unites our profession around the unique body, mind, spirit approach DOs bring to the practice of medicine.'
Representing more than 11% of all physicians in the U.S., the osteopathic medical profession is one of the fastest-growing segments of healthcare. The profession is on track to continue exponential growth, with more than one in four of all current U.S. medical students choosing to pursue osteopathic medicine. DOs practice in every medical specialty, from primary care to surgery and emergency medicine, and hold some of the most prominent positions in medicine today, including serving as Physician to the President of the United States, NASA's Chief Health and Medical Officer and physician to many Olympic-level and professional athletes.
OMED22 highlights will include:
For more information about OMED programming, visit .
About the American Osteopathic AssociationThe American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 178,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages and funds scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for colleges of osteopathic medicine. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit
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SOURCE American Osteopathic Association
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