Indiana University of Pennsylvania can officially begin recruiting students into its College of Osteopathic Medicine.
IUP received “pre-accreditation status” this week from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. That means IUP can begin recruiting and admitting students to its College of Osteopathic Medicine and begin medical instruction within the osteopathic medical curriculum.
“Securing pre-accreditation status has involved thousands of hours of hard work and collaboration between offices and employees in every division of the university,” said IUP President Michael Driscoll. “The efforts to advance the College of Osteopathic Medicine over the past four years has been a true university commitment to our mission of addressing the health care crisis in our communities.”
Once operational, IUP would be the first public college in the state to have a college of osteopathic medicine.
“IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is not only paving the way to more accessible care for the citizens of the commonwealth and beyond, but because of our commitment to affordability for our future students, it’s paving the way for countless talented individuals, especially in our rural communities, to know that becoming a physician is a real possibility for them, that they can become amazing service leaders in their communities as physicians,” said Dean Miko Rose.
A college of osteopathic medicine can hold pre-accreditation status for up to five years. To be considered for accreditation, a college must graduate its inaugural class during those five years. IUP anticipates its first class of students entering the program in fall 2027 and graduating in 2031.
Colleges holding pre-accreditation status can admit no more than half of its approved class size in the first year, no more than 75% the second year and transition to the approved class size in the third and fourth years. IUP’s approved class size is 120 students. The pre-accreditation announcement is the latest news for IUP’s medical school.
IUP trustees earlier this month approved annual tuition for the college, charging $43,200 in annual tuition for state residents and $65,000 for out-of-state residents. There is an adjusted 3% base increase annually for all four years.
In April, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino approved the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree program.
Individual donors, foundations and agencies have donated $54 million to support the College of Osteopathic Medicine.