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Partnership to provide more physicians in underserved areas
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
A new partnership between Youngstown State University and Northeast Ohio Medical University aims to increase the number of primary-care physicians in areas that traditionally are underserved.
“This is unique to YSU,” said Stephen Rodabaugh, associate dean of YSU’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. “This isn’t the same as what they’ll have at Akron or Kent State.”
For years, students have been able to attend YSU for two intensive years, earning a bachelor of science degree and then were guaranteed admission to NEOMED. That enabled students to complete their entire education in six or seven years. Those students attended school year-round, beginning the summer after high-school graduation.
Rodabaugh said that tended to pigeonhole students, who didn’t have a degree upon leaving YSU.
With the BaccMed, students attend YSU for three years, earning a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences or biochemistry and then four years of medical school.
The new partnership allows YSU students from many majors to earn conditional acceptance to NEOMED during the second year at YSU.
A presentation about the new program is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday in the Presidential Suites in Kilcawley Center at YSU. The event, which will include representatives from both YSU and NEOMED, is geared at prospective students, parents and school personnel.
When NEOMED, formerly Northeast Ohio University College of Medicine, was created by the Legislature, its charge was to increase the number of primary-care physicians, Rodabaugh said. Rural and urban areas, including minority and poor populations typically are underserved by these doctors.
More NEOMED students, however, choose to become specialists.
Research shows that medical students from rural or urban areas are more likely to become physicians who practice in those communities, Rodabaugh said.
“They’ve seen their grandparents deciding between paying bills or buying prescriptions,” said Brett Kengore, an academic adviser in YSU’s STEM College.
Besides altering the time line for students, the new partnership also opens more scholarship opportunities for them. The YSU Foundation scholarships, including the University Scholar scholarship and the Choose Ohio First scholarship, had not previously been available for BS/MD students. Forgiveness for federal loans also is available for those students who go into primary-care practice.
The first group of BaccMed students will begin at YSU this fall, and Kengor and Rodabaugh plan to visit area high schools to recruit candidates.
The first class will include 20 students. In fall 2017, that number will increase to 40 with 70 students expected to begin in fall 2018.
With the new partnership, the BS/MD will be phased out.
NEOMED launched in 1973 as an educational partnership involving YSU, Kent State University and the University of Akron to provide a facility for training physicians in Northeast Ohio. That partnership was expanded in 2008 to include Cleveland State University. The university has more-limited partnerships with Central State and Miami universities and Hiram College.