Jonesboro, AR – (C0ntributed) – June 25, 2024 – New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) will host a three-day conference titled, “Addressing Healthcare Needs in Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta,” September 5-7 at the Capital Hotel in Little Rock.

The conference is tailored for professionals serving in hospitals, healthcare systems, clinics, and communities, and will delve into critical topics shaping the landscape of healthcare, from geographic barriers to gaps in infrastructure to practitioner recruitment and retention.

“It’s no secret that Arkansas, and particularly the Mississippi Delta area that makes up almost half of our state, faces significant challenges when it comes to health outcomes as well as access to healthcare and health education,” said Shane Speights, D.O., dean of NYITCOM at A-State. “Our medical school was founded to help address many of those issues, and we’re proud to bring thought leaders from around the country to Arkansas to help our healthcare leaders learn more about how we collectively can help make an impact in places that so desperately need it.”

J. Craig Wilson, J.D., M.P.A., will serve as the conference’s keynote speaker. Wilson is the director of Health Policy for the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) and is highly regarded as one of the state’s experts on health policy and healthcare data. Other featured speakers include:

• Calvin Lambert, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the Mount Sinai Hospital and an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Paul Thurman, D.B.A., senior professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Medical Center who is an Arkansas native and an international expert on rural health
• Lorraine Frazier, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FAAN, dean of the Columbia University School of Nursing and an expert in advanced practice nursing
• Bruce Murphy, M.D., C.E.O. of Arkansas Heart Hospital, who will speak on the role of the specialty hospital in rural healthcare

The conference begins on Thursday, September 5, at 3:30 p.m. and concludes on Saturday, September 7, at 1:30 p.m. In addition to the esteemed speakers, NYITCOM will host an educational and social event at the Clinton Presidential Center as part of the conference agenda.

Registration is available and costs $450 for general attendees, $250 for NYITCOM-affiliated faculty, staff, and preceptors, and $50 for medical residents and students of any healthcare profession.

NYITCOM opened its Arkansas campus in 2016 through a private/public partnership between Arkansas State University and New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, N.Y. NYITCOM at A-State became the state’s first osteopathic medical school and just the second medical school to open in Arkansas.

NYITCOM at A-State operates out of Wilson Hall on the Arkansas State University campus. The school was created with a pointed focus on training physicians to address the growing shortage in Arkansas and the region and to provide health education and resources to address many of the issues that are prevalent in numerous communities throughout Arkansas and the Delta region.

“We are passionate about working with individuals and institutions throughout the state and region to find tangible ways to make an impact through healthcare,” Speights said. “We’re excited about the opportunity this conference provides to do just that.”

For more information, email cpearce@nyit.edu or call 870.972.2054.

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, located on A-State’s Jonesboro campus, is dedicated to improving access to health care for the underserved and rural populations in Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta Region. Arkansas annually ranks near the bottom among states in overall population health status due to low health indicators including obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The state also ranks near the bottom of states in the number of active physicians per capita and in the number of primary care physicians. NYITCOM at A-State was established in 2016 with the mission of meeting the need for more physicians in this medically underserved area.