Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Communication Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu
The Health Resources and Services Administration recently awarded the OSU Health Sciences Center a $16 million grant to strengthen the school's recruitment, retention and training programs that focus on rural, racial and urban and underserved populations in Oklahoma.
The HRSA Medical Student Education Program grant will provide $4 million to OSU-CHS each year over the next four years. The goal of the funding is to increase the number of primary care physicians practicing in Oklahoma.
According to HRSA, most counties and geographic areas in the state have been designated as primary care health professional shortage areas. In 2023, US News & World Report ranked OSU-CHS No. 1 among graduates practicing medicine in these underserved areas and No. 10 among graduates practicing medicine in rural areas.
The OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine offers three specialty medical tracks for students who can continue this work to fill this health care need – the Rural Medical Track, the Tribal Medical Track and the newest offering, the Urban Underserved Medical Track.
“Oklahoma faces a severe physician shortage that is exacerbated in our rural communities. Educating physicians who are prepared to live and work in these underserved communities is critical to addressing the health care needs of Oklahomans and addressing the great health care disparities our state faces,” said Dr. Natasha Bray , dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in the Cherokee Nation.
A portion of the funding from the HRSA grant will strengthen these medical pathways. Currently, students enrolled in rural, tribal and urban underserved medical tracks are required to complete a two-week summer externship, but with the additional funds, these will expand to a six-week program where students participate in clinical, didactic and special tracks community-based education.
Students participating in these medical pathways will also receive scholarships funded through the grant.
“Educating physicians who are prepared to live and work in these underserved communities is critical to addressing the health care needs of Oklahomans and addressing the great health care disparities our state faces.”
— Dr. Natasha Bray, dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in the Cherokee Nation
A focus of OSU-CHS has been recruiting students from rural, tribal and urban underserved communities because they are more likely to return to their hometown or a community like it to practice medicine.
Part of the grant funding will also support the OSU-CHS degree in Medical Sciences program for those who have earned a bachelor's or master's degree and want to go on to medical school.
“This 19-hour degree in medical sciences supports the transition from undergraduate to medical school by supporting and preparing students for success through study skill development, standardized exam preparation and clinical shadowing opportunities,” Bray said. “The curriculum provides a solid foundation in the core scientific fields required for success in medical school, but also demonstrates the health challenges faced by patients living in rural, tribal and urban underserved communities.”
Grant funding will also support mental health and wellness programs, academic success programs, faculty and staff support, coach development and training, career guidance initiatives and faculty development. It will also fund and support outreach programs aimed at high school and undergraduate students who may develop an interest in medicine or are already considering a career in health care.
“This grant allows us to continue our mission to prepare the next generation of primary care physicians to serve their neighborhoods and communities. We are deeply committed to creating educational opportunities for students growing up in Oklahoma to become physicians to serve their community,” Bray said. “Educating physicians who have the knowledge and skills to serve their home communities helps create a healthy and prosperous Oklahoma.”
