Western U receives honor for Osteopathic College

The work of graduates of Western University of Health Sciences' College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific providing care to those in primary care and providing care to those in underserved communities has earned the university recognition.

Western's College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific has been ranked No. 1 in California and 21st in the nation in social mission by a specialized medical publication, the university announced this week.

"The Social Mission of Medical Education: Ranking the Schools," published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine, ranks the college 21st overall, making it the the highest ranked U.S. osteopathic medical school, the statement said.

The college was also ranked at the very top in California by the publication.

"It is with great pride and a sense of commitment that Western University, an institution founded in 1977, is recognized amongst a cadre of prominent and historic universities as a leader in meeting our professed mission to serve society by providing culturally sensitive, primary care providers to America's underserved populations," Dr. Clint Adams, dean of the college, said in a statement.

"In our commitment to our osteopathic educational philosophy, we have created an educational continuum that focuses on a holistic approach to treating patients as individuals, incorporating the latest in scientific principles and technology.

"We never forget the necessity of touching patients in the process of achieving a diagnosis, and this appears to be a primary driver that results in graduates who both desire and enjoy a primary care mission," Adams said.

The composite social mission score is a combination of the percentage of an institution's graduates who practice primary care, work in health professional shortage areas, and are underrepresented minorities, the statement said.

Oregon Health and Science University, home to the future College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, was ranked 11th, the statement said.

The Annals of Internal Medicine analysis was performed using data on graduates from 1999 to 2001, the statement said.

This time span allowed those conducting the study to see the location and specialty areas graduates have been working in, the statement said.