First class of Baptist University College of Osteopathic Medicine students begin clinical rotations

In a significant development for medical education in the Mid-South, the first third-year class of students from the Baptist University College of Osteopathic Medicine, part of Baptist Health Sciences University, began their clinical rotations this August. The 74 students will gain practical experience at a variety of hospitals across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, marking an important step in their medical training.

Nine students will be based at Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center, while nine more will train at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto. Three students will work at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, 22 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, five at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, five at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County, 19 at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, and two at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital.

"This is a momentous milestone for our students and faculty," said Hampton Hopkins, president of Baptist Health Sciences University. "As these students move forward in their professional journey, they will contribute to strengthening our community, addressing gaps in medical care, and enhancing access to high-quality healthcare across the region."

Hopkins emphasized the significance of the students' commitment to their training and their potential impact on the local community. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Health Resources and Services Administration projects a shortage of almost 70,000 primary care physicians by 2036, and an equal shortage of specialty physicians. "I am immensely proud of these students and their dedication," Hopkins added. "Data indicate that many medical students tend to stay in the communities where they train. We hope that these students will choose to remain in the Mid-South and make a lasting difference for the next generation of patients."

Baptist University College of Osteopathic Medicine is the first school for Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine in Memphis and West Tennessee, and one of 15 majors of study offered by the university. As a component of Baptist Memorial Health Care, a leading not-for-profit health care system with 25 hospitals across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, students have the unique opportunity to train at some of the region's top facilities and with a large multispecialty physician group.

The primary campus for the school is located in a 100,000-square-foot building in Memphis' medical district, equipped with the latest medical technology. Like medical doctors, DOs complete four years of medical school, followed by residency and fellowship training.