Ibrahim Gardner
The University of Colorado charges osteopathic students for rotations. The University of Northern Colorado has proposed a new College of Osteopathic Medicine to train the next generation of osteopaths and fill the physician gap in the state. The college will be built on the Bishop Lehr campus and is expected to enroll 600 students. Colorado and the wider US are experiencing low numbers of medical workers, with a predicted shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 by 2023. The University of Northern Colorado needs to raise approximately $170 million to establish the school, with construction costs estimated at $127 million. The state has proposed giving over $160 million to the University of Northern Colorado to start the DO School.
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What You'll Learn
Rocky Vista University's osteopathic program
The College of Osteopathic Medicine at Rocky Vista University offers a four-year, full-time academic and clinical program leading to a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. The first two years are spent on campus, focusing on pre-clinical studies and case-based learning, followed by two years of clinical education. The university has campuses in Colorado, Utah, and Montana, each offering a unique selection of programs and experiences.
The osteopathic program at Rocky Vista University is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in osteopathic medicine and prepare them for their careers. The first two years of the program lay the groundwork with preclinical studies, while the latter two years focus on clinical education, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings.
In addition to its osteopathic program, Rocky Vista University also offers a Master of Physician Assistant Studies. This program aims to develop clinically competent, collaborative, and compassionate physician assistants who are well-equipped to provide primary care. The curriculum adopts a competency-based medical education model, emphasising a learner-centred approach to medical training, patient safety, and primary care.
The university also offers a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, a 9-month, 30-semester-hour degree program. This program caters to students from diverse backgrounds, helping them strengthen their foundation in biomedical sciences and cultivate critical thinking skills. It prepares graduates for careers in the health sciences.
Located in Parker, Colorado, just 20 miles southeast of Denver, the Colorado campus of Rocky Vista University is surrounded by history and heritage, coupled with a spirit of innovation. The nearby Snow Canyon State Park offers a beautiful landscape of red and white rocks, while Billings, Montana, known as "Montana's Trailhead," provides a unique blend of urban amenities and small-town hospitality.
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University of Northern Colorado's proposed osteopathic program
The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) has proposed a College of Osteopathic Medicine to train the next generation of osteopaths and fill the physician gap in the state. The college, which is set to open in 2026, will be the third medical school in the state and is expected to train over 100 doctors each year.
The proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine has received widespread support from Colorado lawmakers, who have approved funding for the initiative. The state has proposed giving over $160 million to UNC to establish the college, with approximately $127 million allocated for construction costs and about $42 million set aside in an escrow account to meet accreditation obligations. The college will be built on the Bishop Lehr campus in Greeley, and the university is currently in the process of obtaining accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.
The founding dean of the proposed college, Dr. Beth Longenecker, is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) with over 20 years of experience in medical education. She advocates for a "whole person" approach to medicine, considering patients' overall well-being and using osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to diagnose and treat conditions. This holistic approach differentiates osteopathic physicians from MDs, who primarily focus on treating symptoms and diseases with conventional medical practices.
The University of Northern Colorado's proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine addresses the critical need for more medical professionals in Colorado, particularly as the state's population ages. The college will play a significant role in overcoming workforce shortages that have worsened during and after the pandemic. With an anticipated enrollment of 600 students and a planned increase in class size over the years, the college will make a substantial impact on addressing the shortage of healthcare workers in the state.
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University of Colorado School of Medicine's DO student rotation fees
The University of Colorado School of Medicine charges osteopathic students a fee to rotate because they feel they can implement an additional differential cost for their rotations. MD students are not assessed additional fees as they can attend reciprocal institutions. However, MD students cannot rotate at osteopathic institutions or international institutions.
Osteopathic medical schools that grant the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree are accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association. Some allopathic schools may enter into separate agreements with local osteopathic schools to ensure core rotations for their students at specific clinical sites. The University of Colorado School of Medicine has a relationship with Rocky Vista University, a top osteopathic medical school in Colorado, for its electives. Rocky Vista University offers intimate class sizes, closer connections with faculty, and a vibrant student life. The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at Rocky Vista University consists of four years of full-time academic and clinical programs. The first two years comprise preclinical studies on campus, integrating case-based learning, followed by two years of clinical education.
The University of Colorado School of Medicine offers a 100% tuition discount for Rocky Vista Students (Colorado Campus Students only) and a 50% discount for Colorado Residents: $2,000 per 4-week elective. International students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine are required to pay a fee of $4,000 per 4-week elective plus a $150 application processing fee. International visiting students are limited to one four-week rotation of clinical coursework, and they must find a faculty member to sponsor them for an elective in their department.
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Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine's student chapter
The Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine (CSOM) is a student chapter accredited by the American Osteopathic Association as a provider of Category 1-A Continuing Medical Education. It offers high-quality osteopathic medical educational opportunities to osteopathic physicians, residents, students, and allopathic physicians in the state of Colorado. Membership is free for all enrolled Colorado DO candidates, including students.
CSOM aims to instill loyalty and strengthen the osteopathic profession by recalling the tenets on which it was founded. These tenets include the dynamic interaction of mind, body, and spirit, the body's ability to heal itself, and the primary role of the musculoskeletal system and preventive medicine in maintaining health. CSOM members are encouraged to provide compassionate, quality care to their patients and to live each day as an example of what an osteopathic physician should be.
CSOM also supports the expansion of Osteopathic Graduate Medical Education (OGME) opportunities in Colorado for graduates of Rocky Vista University and other osteopathic colleges of medicine. It represents the unique perspective of osteopathic physicians to state legislative and regulatory agencies, giving the profession a voice. CSOM's efforts to increase OGME opportunities are particularly important given the state's physician gap and low numbers of medical workers.
In 2021, students at RVUCOM (Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine) formed their own organization that supports CSOM, called the Osteopathic Medical Student Coalition (OMSC). This student-led group has filled leadership positions and is actively working to achieve CSOM's goals of physician education, research, and monitoring the Colorado legislative process.
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Osteopathic vs allopathic schools in the US
In the United States, there are two pathways to medicine: allopathic and osteopathic. The former is the more traditional route, with physicians acquiring the MD qualification. In contrast, osteopathic medicine, which began in the 19th century, takes a more holistic approach to treating disease and emphasizes preventative care. Osteopathic physicians obtain a DO qualification.
The training for both types of physicians is now very similar, with both attending four years of medical school and acquiring equivalent education in medicine and surgery. Osteopathic physicians are trained in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), though most do not use this in their daily work. Osteopathic students tend to be more likely to train in primary care and are more likely to be socioemotionally oriented rather than technoscientifically oriented. They are also more likely to have educational experiences in primary care venues and receive encouragement from faculty to enter primary care. However, osteopathic schools have been criticised for their lack of research and lesser emphasis on scientific inquiry compared to allopathic schools.
In terms of numbers, there are many more allopathic colleges than osteopathic colleges in the US (107 vs 34 in 2015). However, more than 20% of students studying medicine today are enrolled in osteopathic schools, and the number of osteopathic schools is increasing. Osteopathic schools are also generally slightly less competitive to get into, with students having lower average MCAT scores and GPAs.
The University of Northern Colorado has recently been given $160 million in funding to start a DO school, which will be the third medical school in the state of Colorado, along with The University of Colorado Med and Rocky Vista University.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Colorado is not charging osteopathic students. The University of Northern Colorado is creating a College of Osteopathic Medicine and will need to raise approximately $170 million to establish the school.
The University of Northern Colorado will need to raise approximately $170 million to establish the school. $127 million of that total will go towards construction costs for a new facility on the Greeley campus, and $42 million will go into an escrow account required by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.
The University of Northern Colorado's College of Osteopathic Medicine is set to open as soon as 2026, with an expected enrollment of 600 students.
