Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the latest round of Rural Health Transformation Project (RHTP) grants Sept. 24, and New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) was again among the awardees.

NYITCOM at A-State received a $3 million grant that will be used for startup costs related to a new rural-track family medicine residency program the Jonesboro-based medical school plans to open next year in Blytheville in partnership with the Mississippi County Hospital System (MCHS) and St. Bernards Healthcare.

Additionally, NYITCOM at A-State was awarded approximately $740,000 to expand its existing emergency medical services programs and launch four new partner sites across the state. 

Both of NYITCOM’s latest grants fall under the RISE category. RISE is an acronym for “Recruitment, Innovation, Skills, & Education” for Arkansas Healthcare.

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In August, NYITCOM at A-State received a $1.5 million grant through the PACT phase that the medical school will use to create a maternal and child health initiative focused in Mississippi and Poinsett Counties. NYITCOM at A-State’s three RHTP grants equal approximately $5.2 million in funding

“We cannot thank Gov. Sanders and her team enough for recognizing the work we’re doing to impact healthcare and health education in the parts of our state that have the most pressing needs,” said Dr. Shane Speights, dean of NYITCOM at A-State. “We are so grateful to again receive funds that will truly make a difference in health education in Arkansas.”

In August of 2025, NYITCOM at A-State announced a partnership with the MCHS, and as part of the agreement, the two institutions pledged to work together to pursue new physician pipeline programs. St. Bernards has since stepped in to assume operation of the MCHS and has joined the effort to launch a family medicine residency.

NYITCOM has applied for accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and hopes to welcome its first class of four physicians to the program next summer. The residency will emphasize managing advanced chronic illnesses with limited local resources, utilizing telemedicine effectively, gaining competence and comfort with obstetric and pediatric care including operative deliveries, navigating social determinants of health, and working alongside local leaders to influence the health of the community.

According to a report from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, Mississippi County currently has only nine full-time family medicine physicians serving the county, one that boasts a population of approximately 40,000.  

“We’ve been working diligently toward making this program a reality, and the funding we graciously received today marks a significant step in doing so,” said Dr. Amanda Deel, NYITCOM’s associate dean for graduate medical education, who is leading the initiative. “Data shows that physicians who attend residency in rural areas are much more likely to practice in one, and we’re humbled at the opportunity to train the type of physician our communities need in the communities that need them the most.”

NYITCOM’s EMS-focused grant will also allow the medical school to expand its efforts to address another significant healthcare workforce shortage.

A study published in May of 2023 concluded that all 75 counties in Arkansas have at least one ambulance desert, meaning it takes 25 minutes or longer for an ambulance to respond to an emergency call. Arkansas ranks as the fourth-highest state in the country in the percentage of population affected by ambulance deserts.

In 2024, NYITCOM assumed operation of the emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic programs that were previously offered by Arkansas State University. NYITCOM houses those programs primarily in Jonesboro with a satellite program in Cherokee Village. NYITCOM’s current paramedic program is the largest in the state, and participants boast a 90% first-time pass rate on their licensing exams, which is well above the national average.

The RISE grant funds will be used to expand NYITCOM’s current program and launch four new EMT and paramedic programs in partnership with two-year institutions throughout the state, including Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville; Arkansas State University Three Rivers College in Malvern; South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado; and Black River Technical College in Pocahontas.

NYITCOM will serve as the sponsoring institution for EMT and paramedic programs housed at the local two-year community colleges that recruit students regionally. The curriculum and content will be delivered to the students by NYITCOM faculty.

The grant funds will be used to hire instructors and cover startup costs for the new programs. The initiative has the support of the Arkansas Ambulance Association.  

“The demand for EMTs and paramedics has never been greater in our state, and we’re fortunate to be in a position to help address the issue,” said Sara Walker, director of NYITCOM’s EMS programs. “The approach we’re taking is the kind of innovative one that is necessary to make an impact, and I’m proud to be involved.”

NYITCOM at A-State opened in 2016 through a private-public partnership between New York Institute of Technology on Long Island and Arkansas State University. NYITCOM at A-State operates out of Wilson Hall on A-State’s Jonesboro campus and became just the second medical school established in Arkansas when it opened its doors 10 years ago.

The school was created with a pointed focus of training physicians to help address an ever-growing need in Arkansas and the greater Mississippi Delta region, and NYITCOM at A-State also has a stated mission of leading health outreach and health education initiatives to help improve health outcomes that are among the poorest in the nation.

“Our medical school is led by a number of individuals who, like myself, are lifelong Arkansans,” Speights said. “Our mission is personal because we’re working to help impact the people and communities that have raised us. We couldn’t be more thankful for the support Gov. Sanders and her team has given us to continue to expand our efforts.”

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