PENNSYLVANIA — Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers (WMCHC) and Wayne Memorial Hospital recently formalized a clinical training affiliation agreement for future students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine. 

IUP has formally initiated steps towards accreditation of its proposed college of osteopathic medicine from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, following IUP’s December 2022 endorsement of the exploration of a possible development of a college of osteopathic medicine at the university.

Securing clinical training sites for students is part of the successful accreditation process. Typically, students in colleges of osteopathic medicine spend the first two years of their education in the classroom; during the third and fourth years, students are based in the community at clinical sites. 

“We are extremely grateful for the excitement and enthusiasm from our clinical training affiliation partners,” Dr. Michael Driscoll, IUP president, said. “The commitment of resources, time and talent as training sites for our future students is something we don’t take for granted. We could not move forward in our work to establish a college of osteopathic medicine at IUP without them.”

IUP has secured approximately 200 percent of the needed clinical training spots, surpassing the 120 percent required for accreditation.

“With an opportunity to train students who already call this area home, we can build a pipeline of future physicians who understand our community, our values and our unique health care needs as a rural hospital,” Wayne Memorial Hospital CEO James Pettinato said.