Osteopathic Colleges In Fort Smith, Jonesboro At Center Of Spar

Fort Smith and Jonesboro are both vying for colleges of osteopathy to meet a growing demand for physicians in two very different regions of the state. According to who you talk to, each school considers themselves to be on target for a 2016 launch, but one Arkansas group appears to be taking sides.

The planned Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine at Chaffee Crossing in Fort Smith will be housed in a three story, 100,000-square-foot building valued at more than $31 million. A fully operational osteopathic college is expected to serve about 600 students, and employ around 65 (full-time equivalent jobs) with an average salary of $103,000.

The Chaffee Crossing school has had a feasibility study approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), the national accreditation organization. The next stage of review with COCA is set for April, with “provisional” approval hoped for in August.

Arkansas State University in Jonesboro is leading the effort for a college of osteopathy in Northeast Arkansas. It has partnered with New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) College of Osteopathic Medicine. On Sept. 22, COCA denied ASU/NYIT’s request for petition, but a spokesman for ASU says the group’s concerns can be met and the partners have a new application pending on an April 18th COCA agenda.

“As is common with these types of applications, our initial petition resulted in a denial by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation with a clear description of the additional information they require. We look forward to our next presentation to the COCA on April 18 when we will provide this information,” said Jeff Hankins, VP for strategic communications and economic development for the ASU System.

“We remain confident that NYIT-COM’s additional site on the Arkansas State University campus will be approved, and we continue to anticipate a fall 2016 opening. Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee of NYIT will be establishing an office on the A-State campus in January to continue ongoing planning,” Hankins said.

AOMA ENTERS
The Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA) did not endorse the NYIT effort to locate a campus in Jonesboro, but it has endorsed the Chaffee Crossing project.

Among several objections to the NYIT proposal, the AOMA said it did not believe physicians trained in Jonesboro would remain in Arkansas because the NYIT residency programs are not in Arkansas. The 10 categories reviewed by COCA for an additional location includes “a letter of comment” from a state association.

“The AOMA supports the responsible growth of the osteopathic profession and thereby respects the decision of the COCA to deny NYIT of their substantive change request,” noted a statement from AOMA sent to The City Wire. “Our association supports and endorses organizations who adhere to the COCA’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Accreditation Standards and Procedures.”

Despite the September denial, ASU officials believe the process is on track for a fall 2016 opening.

“The quest for a College of Osteopathic Medicine is on schedule,” Hudson wrote in a letter dated Nov. 21, almost two months after COCA notified the parties that the application for the Jonesboro campus was denied.

ASU’s Hankins said AOMA is “misleading” in its portrayal of the application denial. Hankins issued this statement to The City Wire when asked about the denial and Hudson’s belief that the accreditation process is on track: “The e-mail distributed today (Monday, Dec. 15) by the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association concerning the status of NYIT’s partnership with Arkansas State to develop an additional osteopathic medical school in Jonesboro is misleading and without context regarding the complex accreditation process.

“Frankly, we are disappointed that the AOMA is attempting to politicize the accreditation process and that the organization never contacted us for clarification on our standing. In fact, the AOMA has never provided our partnership’s efforts to advance osteopathic medical education in Arkansas any assistance, refusing at times to answer basic questions regarding procedure or to engage in dialogue with principals guiding the process.”

The AOMA rejected Hankins’ claims of politicizing the process or attempting to mislead. The AOMA issued this statement: “(T)he AOMA’s intent was to address queries regarding information that concerns the osteopathic profession in Arkansas. The AOMA reported the news given to us and stated the facts accordingly and accurately. The AOMA has made no attempt to discredit NYIT-COM or ASU, and are deeply saddened by ASU’s VP for Strategic Communications erroneous comments about means for keeping interested parties informed with accurate information.

“Our information can be validated by the national accrediting agency – COCA. Members of our organization found it misleading when information regarding COCA’s action to deny NYIT was not effectively communicated to them by NYIT or ASU following the initial decision or their lack of filing an appeal of the decision. With regards to Mr. Hankins’ statements about our association’s lack of support or communication with their project: We again are saddened by these statements. As Mr. Hankins well knows, for numerous years prior to NYIT’s involvement, the AOMA met with and attempted to aid ASU in their efforts to establish a school of their own. Our association has appropriately documented every meeting with their institution and its leaders.”

Hankins countered that AOMA had early conversations with ASU officials who served on an interim basis years ago, but he said the group has rebuffed attempts from current leaders, including ASU System President Charles Welch and ASU Chancellor Tim Hudson.