Elmira College, LECOM aim to bring more medical professionals to region with joint program
Anyone who plans to become a doctor can typically expect to spend at least eight years in college and medical school, but a new joint venture between Elmira College and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Elmira campus is designed to accelerate that process.
The two schools are launching a dual-admission accelerated six-year bachelor of science to doctor of osteopathic medicine program.
Goals of the new program include reducing time spent in college, saving students money, enabling them to start their careers more quickly, and encouraging more medical professionals to establish practices in the Elmira and Southern Tier region.
Most similar programs around the country are completed in seven or eight years and are fully integrated from day one, meaning the students do not receive a bachelor’s degree, Elmira College and LECOM officials said.
The two schools currently offer a 7-year dual enrollment program that will continue this fall, along with the accelerated program.
Under the new program, students will receive a bachelor of science degree from Elmira College, and also will not need to take the medical college admission test or complete additional graduate school applications.
“This exciting and unique program is another chance for us to build on our strategy to pair a liberal arts education with career-focused programs,” said Elmira College President Charles Lindsay. “Thanks to the relationship between EC and LECOM that began in 2019, we have found ways to create hands-on learning experiences that add value for the students at both institutions.”
LECOM, founded in 1962, is based in Erie, Pennsylvania and also has campuses in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and Bradenton, Florida. The Elmira campus opened in 2020.
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A doctor of osteopathic medicine has the same credentials as medical doctors and can prescribe medications and perform surgeries.
There are more than 16,000 LECOM alumni providing health care to patients across the U.S., with about 70% involved in primary care, according to the school.
Students enrolled in the new dual program will spend their first two years on the Elmira College campus, working toward meeting requirements for a bachelor of science degree. In their third year, students will be dual enrolled in both institutions, and will have the option of living in Elmira College housing.
The final three years will focus on earning a doctorate in osteopathic medicine from LECOM.
In addition to providing a faster path to graduation for medical students, the new program will hopefully help fill gaps in healthcare in the Southern Tier, according to Dr. Richard Terry, LECOM Elmira associate dean of academic affairs.
About 76% of students enrolled in the current dual admission program are from outside the Chemung-Steuben-Schuyler County area, and Terry hopes the accelerated program will encourage more graduates to pursue careers locally.
“We are facing a critical shortage of physicians in the United States and especially here in upstate New York,” Terry said. "This innovative program with Elmira College will impactfully expedite the production pipeline for future physicians and will go a long way to alleviating the disparity and limited access to health care in this region.”
For more information about the Elmira College/LECOM dual admission program, go to elmira.edu/academics/programs/bsdo.
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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Elmira College program designed to attract more medical professionals
