Transformative Education
We provide students with opportunities that can change them as people. Our graduates are prepared to lead and succeed in any healthcare environment because of the powerful education they received at the Heritage College. Our investment in training the next generation of physician leaders addresses anticipated physician shortages and health care needs in chronically underserved communities across Ohio and throughout our nation.
Heritage College Jumps 29 Spots in National Ranking
Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine was named first in the state of Ohio and 14th in the nation for most graduates practicing primary care by U.S. News and World Report. The college was also ranked 21st in the nation for most graduates practicing in rural areas and tied for 49th for 2023 Best Medical Schools: Primary Care, up from 104th in 2019. The rankings comprise all M.D. and D.O. programs in the nation.
OHF Scholarships
The Osteopathic Heritage Foundations support Heritage College student scholarships, totaling $546,654. Other scholarships and grants totaled $467,972, not including an additional $2 million in Student Affordability Scholarships.
DISIRE program launched
In June 2023, the college launched its first year of the Diabetes Institute Summer Interprofessional Research Experience (DISIRE) program with eight participants. The DISIRE program is dedicated to recruiting talented undergraduates from small liberal arts colleges and Appalachian universities to prepare the next generation of basic and clinical researchers in diabetes during a summer program on the Athens campus.
Bugada Named National Student Doctor of the Year
Mark Bugada, OMS IV, was selected as the 2022 National Student Doctor of the Year by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. The award is given to students who go above and beyond the expected requirements of an osteopathic medical student.
RUSP Celebrates 10 Years
The Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways Program celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2022-23. The unique program works to prepare future physicians in medically underserved communities. Since 2013, 190 students have graduated from RUSP. This year the program enrolled 40 new students and had a 100% retention rate. In 2022-23, RUSP students represented 14% of the student body at Heritage College.
DISIRE Program hosts first cohort
In June 2023, the college launched its first year of the Diabetes Institute Summer Interprofessional Research Experience (DISIRE) program with eight participants. The DISIRE program is dedicated to recruiting talented undergraduates from small liberal arts colleges and Appalachian universities to prepare the next generation of basic and clinical researchers in diabetes during a summer program on the Athens campus.
Dublin campus renovations completed
In July 2023, the Dublin campus completed the renovation of shell space on the second floor of MEB 2 to develop a new multi-functional classroom/conference room together with partial funding provided by the Voinovich School. This space will provide opportunities for both colleges and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations to utilize a fully functional and technologically connected meeting space .
Aspiring D.O.ctors
In FY 2022-23, 24 rising juniors from two majority URM high schools throughout the Greater Cleveland area participated in the Aspiring D.O.ctors program. The program was enhanced this year through the addition of a third junior day, focused on college and career readiness, and a field trip to KSU School of Podiatric Medicine. A second cohort of students is set to be added during FY 2023-24, consisting of both juniors and seniors. The Aspiring D.O.ctors Precollege Program is funded by the Heritage College. Other Grant funding is from City of Warrensville Heights, Cyrus Eaton Foundation, Mt. Sinai Foundation, and Char and Chuck Fowler Foundation.
First PreDOC Rural Conference held
The first PreDOC Rural Conference was held May 17-18, 2023 on the Athens campus. The 30 participants engaged with medical morphology faculty and COMCorps volunteers while learning about rural medical research and care.
Transformative Care Continuum
The Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways Program celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2022-23. The unique program works to prepare future physicians in medically underserved communities. Since 2013, 190 students have graduated from RUSP. This year the program enrolled 40 new students and had a 100% retention rate. In 2022-23, RUSP students represented 14% of the student body at Heritage College.
In FY 2023-23, the Heritage College Dual Degree Programs had a total of 14 students enrolled.
New COMLEX prep tools provided
During FY 2022-23, the Heritage College added to the COMLEX level 1 preparation tools provided to the Year 2 students. In addition to Osmosis Elsevier and COMSAE and WelCOM provided through NBOME, students were provided with access to TruLearn COMBANK. In addition to COMBANK access, students were given access to two 180-question COMLEX style assessments through TruLearn COMBANK. These assessments give the students feedback on the average time spent answering questions in addition to the average percentage that they answered correctly. Questions can also be reviewed per organ system to aid in preparation. Once the student has reviewed their results, they can take the second assessment on their own timeline.