VCOM View Magazine Vol. 13 | No. 1

W hen VCOM-Louisiana’s first students arrived on campus back in 2020, they made history as the state’s first osteopathic medical students—to say nothing of starting their medical education in the midst of a global pandemic. On May 10, 2024, they made history again when they became the state’s first group of graduated osteopathic physicians. The 139 graduates comprising the campus’s inaugural Class of 2024 represent a major step toward resolving the physician shortage in Louisiana and the Delta region. While osteopathic medicine has been around since the late 1800s, it is still relatively new to Louisiana, which, in the early 2000s, was the 50th state to recognize those who held a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) degree as fully licensed physicians. Prior to that milestone, osteopathic physicians were unable to practice medicine within the state of Louisiana and would either commute to neighboring states to practice or move out of the state entirely. This only served to further the healthcare shortage in Louisiana. As the only osteopathic medical school in the state, VCOM-Louisiana, with its focus on rural and medically underserved areas, is poised to make significant strides in the Delta region. In fact, 60 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes have been designated a Health Profession Shortage Area, which means that about 80% of the state’s population lacks adequate access to healthcare. As of 2020, the most recent data available from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the state ranked 26th in the number of active physicians, but had very few active DOs, which isn’t surprising given how recently the state recognized DOs as fully qualified physicians. That same report indicated that Louisiana ranks 34th for primary care physicians and 35th in the nation for active female physicians. Primary care, of course, is one of the most common specialties for VCOM graduates. Sixty percent of the VCOM-Louisiana Class of 2024 matched into primary care specialties. The remaining 40% matched into specialty fields, many in other areas of need, such as psychiatry, surgery, emergency medicine and orthopedics. VCOM-Louisiana’s 100% residency match rate is higher than the national

“ “The body is a unit; a harmonious whole made up of mutually dependent parts.” — Andrew Taylor Still Founder of Osteopathic Medicine students who will return to their hometowns, because that is a major way that a medical school can truly improve healthcare in its region. In pursuit of that goal, VCOM’s priority is to recruit students who come from rural and medically underserved communities where physicians are most needed. More than a third of VCOM-Louisiana’s students are from Louisiana, and nearly a quarter of VCOM graduates across its four campuses are practicing within 75 miles of where they grew up. The increase in primary care physicians in other states where VCOM has campuses stands as a testament to the success of this recruiting strategy. Thomas Bennett, DO, a proud native of Spearsville, Louisiana, and a May 2024 graduate of VCOM-Louisiana, is completing his residency in Internal Medicine at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Baton Rouge. Dr. Bennett says he chose internal medicine because of its versatility and credits his education at VCOM Louisiana for thoroughly preparing him for the challenges and rewards of internal medicine. “During my time at VCOM-Louisiana, I was exposed to a variety of clinical experiences, including simulation labs, standardized patient experiences, professional experiences and community outreach.” “I’m so proud of this inaugural class of graduates from VCOM-Louisiana,” says Dean Mark Sanders. “They are passionate about healthcare and care deeply about underserved communities. I’m confident that average, a testament to the quality of the medical education available at VCOM-Louisiana. Of course, VCOM’s goal is to recruit medical

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