ASU Welcomes Partnership With New Medical School

From our content partner, KAIT Ch. 8:

A new school is coming to Arkansas State University and the partnership came together with a luncheon Wednesday.

A commission recently approved The New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine’s partnership with ASU.

Many gathered at the Cooper Alumni Center for a welcome luncheon to celebrate the new partnership. Representatives from NYIT joined Arkansas State University officials to commend the work done to achieve the venture. The osteopathic medical school could open next year.

Wolfgang Gilliar, Dean of NYITCOM, said many ask why bring a New York School to Arkansas?

He said Arkansas has a vital need for more physicians. The state ranks 49 out of 50 states in its population’s health status, according to America’s Health Rankings, United Health Foundation.

Gilliar said it’s also about investing in the future.

“We are standing at the real juncture of cliffs and we have to jump them,” Gilliar said. “Because our future students, they are not anything like my generation is and was or the generation behind me was. They are somebody different.”

The NYITCOM’s additional site will be housed inside Wilson Hall. Student recruitment has yet to begin, but the anticipated class size is 115 students.

The New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine was established in 1977 and is the second largest osteopathic medical school in the United States.

Watch the video report here.