At a special meeting of the Council on Postsecondary Education, the board approved an appropriation request of $50 million to the General Assembly for Eastern Kentucky University. The money will be used to stand up a new doctoral program in osteopathic medicine.
The program would be the state’s second osteopathic medicine program. The $50 million investment would provide for an initial escrow fund required by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.
That $42 million will be returned to the state upon final accreditation and graduation of the program’s first class, as well as one-time start-up expenses equaling around $8 million.
EKU has already requested $330 million for a new health center to support all health science programs at the university, and plans to hire 32 new faculty in a phased, strategic roll out pending final budget and program approval.
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine are licensed physicians who practice holistic, patient-centered medicine, most often in primary care or emergency settings.
In his presentation to the board, Dr. David McFaddin, EKU President, said, “As Kentucky’s workforce university, EKU has a long tradition of preparing healthcare professionals to serve communities across the state. Establishing the proposed Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program would build on that legacy while helping address Kentucky’s growing physician shortage, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas.”
The program combines four years of undergraduate coursework with one to three additional years of advanced residency training.
