On the Right Track: OSU medical courses ensure all populations are receiving care
Friday, September 13, 2024
Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine was founded more than 50 years ago with the mission to educate and train osteopathic physicians to meet the health care needs of rural and underserved communities in Oklahoma.
OSU-COM continues to meet that mission. It was ranked No. 1 in percentage of graduates practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas and No. 10 in graduates practicing in rural areas from “U.S. News & World Report’s” medical school rankings in 2023. In fact, about 50% of OSU-COM graduates are practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas.
“I’m so proud of our institution, our graduates, our faculty and staff for their unwavering commitment to this mission,” said Dr. Johnny Stephens, OSU Center for Health Sciences president. “By emphasizing innovation and passion for community, OSU-COM produces graduates eager to work in these medical deserts.”
One of those innovations is developing three specific medical education tracks that OSU-COM students choose to enroll in that focus on health care in rural, tribal and urban and underserved communities.
OSU-COM’s mission to produce primary care physicians for rural Oklahoma is critical as the state is challenged by continued shortages of primary care physicians. Seventy-five of Oklahoma’s 77 counties are considered a HPSA.
Students can also participate in the optional Global Health Track, which includes
international trips
to countries and regions where primary care medical professionals are in need.
Rural Medical Track
Successful Rural Medical Track students are mission-focused on serving rural communities and passionate about improving disparities of care.
They want to implement positive changes and work on research projects addressing rural health care issues. They often grew up in a rural community and are interested in returning home, or to a town a lot like it, to practice medicine after graduation.
Benefits of the Rural Medical Track:
- Work with clinical education staff to develop personalized plans of study that match the student’s specific practice interests.
- Hands-on training and experience with physicians who understand the challenges and limited access to medical services in rural communities.
- Opportunities to experience and collaborate on new health care delivery models, such as telehealth and virtual medicine.
“Practicing in a rural community aligns with my roots and my passion for helping people
in small towns. Growing up in Blanchard and seeing the health care challenges faced
by my community, I am committed to making a difference. I want to serve both the rural
and tribal communities, ensuring they have the health care access they deserve.”
Tribal Medical Track
Students in the Tribal Medical Track are interested in serving tribal and rural communities and have a passion for improving the lives of Native American patients and treating health disparities in Indigenous populations. They are attracted to conducting research aimed at tribal health care concerns and, following their graduation, want to return to their tribal or rural community to practice medicine.
Benefits of the Tribal Medical Track:
- Unique training and work experience with doctors who know the challenges and benefits of practicing in tribal health systems.
- Special medical rotations reserved only for Tribal Medical Track students at tribal clinics or hospitals during their third year of medical school.
- Learn about Indigenous medicine, health disparities among Native American populations and career opportunities in tribal health care.
“One of the best aspects of the Tribal Medical Track is learning from different tribal facilities. There is so much we have in common but also differences between our nations. One overarching theme is the love that we share for our communities and hope for the future of health and wellness in Indian Country.”
Urban Underserved Medical Track
Medical students interested in serving a diverse population and having a drive to improve the health and wellness of patients in urban areas can choose to enroll in the Urban Underserved Medical Track.
They are interested in practicing primary care specialties such as family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology. Physicians who practice emergency medicine, general surgery, psychiatry and behavioral health are also in need in underserved communities.
Benefits of the Urban Underserved Medical Track:
- Real-world experiences and training with doctors and health care professionals who understand the benefits and challenges of working with urban and underserved populations.
- Specialized rotation reserved for Urban Underserved Medical Track students at an urban clinic or hospital during their third year of medical school.
- Learn about racial, ethnic, socio-economic and gender health disparities and receive training to treat patients in a free clinic setting.
“Practicing medicine in an urban area involves providing care for a diverse population. Having a physician workforce that is equally as diverse as the population being served is one way health equity may be advanced.”
Global Health Track
The Global Health Track is offered to medical students interested in global medicine and international outreach.
The curriculum allows students to explore the challenges and procedures of delivering health care services in other countries. Participants gain experience working in a country with different medical, economic, environmental and cultural factors that influence quality of care, which fosters a more global perspective on medicine.
Benefits of the Global Health Track:
- Medical students enhance their physical examination and diagnostic skills under the supervision of licensed health care professionals.
- Expose participants to common acute and chronic conditions, as well as emerging and unusual diseases significant to global public health.
- Provides an opportunity for students to participate in humanitarian outreach and promote the tenets of osteopathic medicine worldwide.
“You gain perspective on what your patients have been through, but also what you have
that you take for granted. You also reach a level of empathy you didn’t know you had.
I don’t think a healthy lifestyle should only be available for those who have access
to it. It’s why I went into medicine, to reach people who are hard to reach.”
Photos by: Matt Barnard and Gary Lawson
Story by: Sara Plummer | STATE Magazine