Oklahoma State University: OSU College Of Osteopathic Medicine To Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Press release from Oklahoma State University:

2022-03-03

Fifty years ago, Oklahoma was dealing with a physician shortage so state leaders came
together to create and pass Oklahoma Bill 461 that established the Oklahoma College
of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Tulsa, which later became the OSU College of
Osteopathic Medicine.

It was the first free-standing, state-supported osteopathic medical school in the
country and its mission was to train doctors to meet the health care needs of rural
and underserved Oklahomans. The dream became realized with the dedication of the campus
in April 1977.

“In March 1972, with dwindling numbers of primary care physicians in rural Oklahoma,
the Oklahoma College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery was established to educate
and train osteopathic medicine physicians. Fifty years later, we are still fulfilling
that mission,” said OSU-CHS President Johnny Stephens.

OSU Center for Health Sciences will celebrate the anniversary with a birthday party
on March 10 for faculty, staff, students and alumni.

A larger celebration will take place on July 28 and coincide with the opening of North
Hall, the newest building on the OSU-CHS campus in Tulsa that includes new anatomy
and neuroanatomy labs, the new Tulsa County Medical Examiners Office, additional meeting
and conference rooms, offices spaces and new administrative offices.

People are also invited to leave their mark on the campus through the 50th Anniversary Leave Your Legacy brick campaign. There are four different brick and paver sizes to choose from that will be placed
on the OSU-CHS campus.

And throughout 2022, there will be 50th Anniversary social media campaigns highlighting
current and former students, as well as special features written about the history,
culture and accomplishments of the institution and its leaders.

“Today, OSU-COM educates tomorrow’s physicians in a wide range of specialties to serve
both rural and urban areas of our state,” Dr. Stephens said. “Now with our College
of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, our impact is even greater.”

To learn more about the history of the institution, see photos from the past five
decades at the school and learn how you can support OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine,
go to medicine.okstate.edu/anniversary.

This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.