Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine facts for kids
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| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| Endowment | $18.0 million |
| Budget | $105 million |
| Dean | Kenneth H. Johnson, D.O. |
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Academic staff
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142 |
| 1001 | |
| Location |
,
U.S.
39°20′16″N 82°05′44″W / 39.3379°N 82.0956°W |
| Campus | Rural, urban |
| Mascot | Ostie the Osteopathic Owl and Rufus the Bobcat |
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| https://www.ohio.edu/news/2023/05/ohio-university-heritage-college-osteopathic-medicine-among-top-50-u-s-primary-care https://www.ohio.edu/medicine/about/who-we-are/facts | |
The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (often called OU-HCOM) is the medical school of Ohio University. It's the only school in Ohio that teaches osteopathic medicine. Its main goal is to train doctors who will focus on primary care. These doctors often serve areas in Ohio that need more medical help, like rural or urban communities.
The college offers a special degree called Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). This degree allows graduates to practice medicine in all 50 U.S. states and many other countries. The school is officially approved by important groups like the American Osteopathic Association and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Contents
History of the College
The idea for a medical school at Ohio University started a long time ago, back in 1823. More than 150 years later, in 1975, the Heritage College was finally created. Its first class had 21 students who earned their D.O. degrees. The college has grown a lot since then. In the 2023-2024 school year, there were over 1,000 students studying to become doctors.
Key Discoveries and Leaders
In 1989, a scientist named John Kopchick, who worked at the Heritage College, made an important discovery. He found a compound that later became a medicine called Pegvisomant (Somavert). This medicine helps treat a condition called acromegaly, which affects growth hormones. Dr. Kopchick's discovery brought Ohio University more than $120 million in earnings from the medicine's sales.
In 1993, Barbara Ross-Lee became the dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. She was the first African-American woman to lead a medical school in the United States. This was a very important moment in history.
Expansion and Growth
In 2011, the Heritage College received a huge gift of $105 million. This was the largest private gift ever given to Ohio University. With this money, the college started building two new campuses. One campus was in Dublin, Ohio, and the other was in Cleveland, Ohio. These new campuses helped the college train even more future doctors. The first students started classes at the Dublin campus in 2014 and at the Cleveland campus in 2015.
Past Leaders of the College
- Gerald Alden Faverman, Ph.D. — 1975–1977
- Frank Wayne Myers, D.O. — 1977–1993
- Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O. — 1993–2000
- Daniel Jon Marazon, D.O. — 2001
- John “Jack” Adolph Brose, D.O. — 2001–2012
Student Enrollment
The Heritage College is the largest medical school in Ohio. For the 2023-2024 school year, a total of 1,001 students were enrolled across its three campuses:
- Athens: 473 students
- Cleveland: 245 students
- Dublin: 283 students
Academics and Programs
Students at the Heritage College learn in different ways during their first two years. There are two main learning paths:
- Clinical Presentation Continuum (CPC): In this path, students learn about different symptoms and conditions through lectures and discussions.
- Patient-Centered Continuum (PCC): This path focuses more on real-world experiences. Students spend time in clinics and communities, learning how to talk to patients and understand their needs.
In their third and fourth years, students gain hands-on experience in hospitals. They work in one of 29 teaching hospitals that are part of the Centers for Osteopathic Research and Education (CORE). This is a group of medical education centers across the state.
The college also offers special programs where students can earn two degrees at once. Some of these combined degrees include:
- D.O./M.P.H. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Public Health)
- D.O./M.H.A. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Health Administration)
- D.O./M.B.A. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Business Administration)
- D.O./Ph.D. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy)
Admissions Process
Getting into the Heritage College is competitive, meaning many students apply, but only some are accepted. The college looks at many different things when deciding who to admit. Since it's a state-funded school, it prefers to accept students who live in Ohio.
For the class that started in 2022, the average grades (GPA) of accepted students were:
- Science GPA: 3.62
- Non-science GPA: 3.77
- Overall GPA: 3.68
The average score on the MCAT (a special test for medical school applicants) was 504.50. For the class that started in 2027, the average overall GPA was 3.66, and the average MCAT score was 503.44. Out of nearly 5,000 applicants, 260 students were accepted into the Class of 2027.
People at the College
Alumni (Former Students)
- Robert Biscup, D.O. '80
- Terry Johnson (Ohio politician), D.O. '91
- Thomas Hutson, D.O. '97
Faculty and Staff
See also
- List of Medical Schools in the United States
