Published:Monday, March 3, 2014

Updated:Monday, March 3, 2014 19:03

Tian Wang, Staff Photographer

From left to right, Dr. Time Langford, Mr. Charles Luter, Dr. Charles L. Welch, Mr. Dan Pierce, Mr. Howard Slinkard, Mr. Ron Rhodes at the Board of Trustees meeting Friday.

An osteopathic medical school is finally on the horizon for Arkansas State University after approval from the Board of Trustees Friday.

According to a recently released study, an osteopathic medical school would help meet the demand for primary care physicians in the Delta and have an initial economic impact of about $70 million in the northeastern part of the state.

The feasibility study was conducted by Tripp Umbach, a nationally recognized health care and economic development consulting firm based in Pittsburgh.

ASU will partner with the New York Institution of Technology for the development of Arkansas first osteopathic medical school, according to the Board of Trustees resolution 14-06.

NYIT currently operates a college of osteopathic medicine and ASUJ will enter into a formal agreement with NYIT for the establishment of a branch campus of the College of Osteopathic Medicine with the first class of students anticipated to enroll in August 2016.

The Delta region is one of the most (medically) under-served regions in the United States, ASU President Charles Welch said.

The rest is here:

Board of Trustees makes decision on med school