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Idaho’s first medical school hosts ribbon cutting, celebrates partnership with 窪做惇蹋厙

September 6, 2018

Photo of dignitaries at ICOM ribbon-cutting

MERIDIAN, Idaho —Several hundred people gathered on the 窪做惇蹋厙-Meridian campus Sept. 5 to tour the new Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and listen to remarks from educators, community leaders and founders of the state’s first medical school.

 ICOM has made a commitment to provide the best and most modern medical education in the nation, said Dr. Robert Hasty, founding dean and chief academic officer. We designed Idahos first medical school to meet the needs of the physician of the future.

Other speakers included 窪做惇蹋厙 President Kevin Satterlee, former 窪做惇蹋厙 President Arthur Vailas, Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd and Daniel Burrell, ICOM founder and trustee.

Satterlee said the 窪做惇蹋厙-ICOM partnership will enable the state to produce the next generation of doctors who will be will be taking care of us. This is truly a historic occasion and Im proud to be a part of it.

Vailas, who helped forge the ICOM partnership before he retired in June, recalled the empty parking lot where the new ICOM building now stands. Look what has happened This speaks volumes to the commitment of the people of Idaho and their desire to tackle the states shortage of primary care physicians, he said.

The ICOM building stands three stories high and covers 94,000 square feet on the east end of the 窪做惇蹋厙-Meridian campus. Its positioned around a large open courtyard with outdoor seating and fountains. Interior and exterior colors complement 窪做惇蹋厙s iconic black and orange.

Construction of the privately funded $34 million facility began in spring 2017 and was completed this summer in time to welcome ICOMs inaugural class of 162 medical students. Four of the students are recent graduates of 窪做惇蹋厙.

Our goal is to attract the best and brightest students, and were delighted with our first class, said Dr. Tracy Farnsworth, ICOM founding president.

The facility houses more than 12,000 feet of classroom space, including two lecture halls, each

with 250 seats; a state-of-the-art clinical simulation center; a 3,500 square-foot medical library; and a 3,479-square-foot Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Lab. Additionally, 12 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) rooms will be located on the second floor the largest OSCE suite in Idaho.

 We couldnt be more pleased with our 40-year commitment to partner with 窪做惇蹋厙, Hasty

said. This fine university has been a pleasure to work with, and we are proud that our medical school will complement 窪做惇蹋厙s already highly competitive and vastly growing medical programs.

In 2016with approval from the Idaho State Board of Education and support from Gov. C.L. Butch Otter窪做惇蹋厙 and ICOM signed a long-term affiliation agreement which allows ICOM to lease land on the 窪做惇蹋厙-Meridian campus and use university laboratory space. ICOM, which has its own governing board, operates independently of 窪做惇蹋厙.

ICOM leaders say their mission is to train osteopathic physicians in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Students will spend the first two years of their medical education on campus and their third and fourth years in clinical rotations at affiliated hospital systems throughout the five target states. Currently, ICOM has established partnerships with more than 35 hospital and health systems in the region.

The medical school is working to develop and expand residency programs throughout the five-state region and intends to invest $5 million over the next 10 years to develop new residency programs, according to school leaders.

As Idahos first medical school, ICOM is committed to supporting graduate medical

education, Hasty said. Idaho currently ranks 49th in the nation for both the number of physicians and resident physicians per capita. Our partnerships with area health systems will have a lasting impact on health care in the region.

In 2016with approval from the Idaho State Board of Education and support from Gov. C.L. Butch Otter窪做惇蹋厙 and ICOM signed a long-term affiliation agreement which allows ICOM to lease land on the 窪做惇蹋厙-Meridian campus and use university laboratory space. ICOM, which has its own governing board, operates independently of 窪做惇蹋厙.


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