Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University welcomed its inaugural class in August of 2016.

Today, the state’s first osteopathic medical school celebrates a decade of training physicians, leading in health education, and impacting communities in Arkansas, the Mississippi Delta, and beyond.

NYITCOM at A-State will host a community celebration event on Thursday, May 21, at Embassy Suites at Red Wolf Convention Center. The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, NYITCOM at A-State’s founding dean and a national leader in osteopathic medical education. NYITCOM leadership, alumni, and community partners will also speak of the impact the school has had on healthcare and health education in the state and region.

“We are extremely proud of the work that’s been done in and through our medical school over the last decade, and we are excited about what the future holds,” said Dr. Shane Speights, who has served as dean of NYITCOM at A-State since 2017. “Our success is the result of the collaboration of a number of dedicated, hard-working, and innovative individuals and organizations, and we’re thrilled to bring many of those people together to celebrate this milestone.”

The celebration will take place the night before NYITCOM at A-State graduates its seventh class. NYITCOM at A-State has enjoyed a 99% placement rate through the Match, with more than 60% of its graduates pursuing primary care specialties. Of those who have completed their specialty training, more than 70 NYITCOM at A-State graduates are now practicing in Arkansas in places like Paragould, Wynne, McGehee, Pine Bluff, Mountain Home, Conway, Highland, Piggott, Little Rock, Springdale, Jonesboro and a number of other Arkansas towns.

Approximately 30 NYITCOM at A-State graduates are currently practicing or have committed to practice at one of the school’s two Jonesboro hospital partners: NEA Baptist Health System and St. Bernards Healthcare.  The economic impact of the medical school campus is roughly $45 million dollars a year to the local and regional economy.

Additionally, NYITCOM at A-State has made a significant impact through health outreach and health education in the Mississippi Delta region. The school launched the Delta Population Health Institute in 2019, an organization that is actively building partnerships to address some of the most challenging health issues facing our state and region through policy, outreach, and service.

Sponsorships and tickets are available by clicking here. For more information, contact Casey Pearce at cpearce@nyit.edu.