Contact: Kevin M. Sanders, Writer/Editor, (740) 593-0896
ATHENS, Ohio (February 25, 2001) -- Gov. Bob Taft has issued a proclamation in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-COM). In his proclamation, the governor recognized the accomplishments of OU-COM and thanked the college for its "dedicated service" to the state of Ohio.
The college, said Gov. Taft, plays "an important role in Ohio's health-care system. The faculty, students and graduates of OU-COM are committed to providing educational outreach programs and primary health care to underserved Ohioans."
This dedication over the past 25 years has fulfilled the Ohio General Assembly's legislative mandate for the college, as outlined in Amended House Bill 229, which specified that a high percentage of the college's graduates were expected to be family physicians who would practice in underserved areas, said Taft. The so-called "College Bill," which established the medical school as a college within Ohio University, was passed in July 1975.
Recent statistics show that a higher percentage of the OU-COM's graduates practice in rural and underserved areas, compared to the graduates of other medical schools. Fifty-six percent of OU-COM's more than 1,100 practicing physicians are in primary care disciplines, which include family practice, internal medicine and pediatrics. Overall, 65 percent of the college's graduates practice in Ohio, according to college officials. Osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) represent 14 percent of the licensed physicians in Ohio (D.O.s and M.D.s) but make up 38 percent of the family physicians in the state.
Taft also praised the impact that the college's Mobile Health Unit has had in Southeastern Ohio, as it "traveled more than 16,000 miles in 21 counties to provide immunizations, physicals, disease screening and other health-care services."
Nationally and across the globe, according to Taft, the college's Family Health* radio program is aired daily on almost 300 radio stations and the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Network. "Daily this program," he added, "brings health-care information to more than 12 millions listeners."
College officials were pleased that the governor had issued the proclamation.
"The 25th anniversary is a great opportunity for the members of the college to reflect on its positive achievements, which have impacted the people of Southeastern Ohio, the state of Ohio and the nation," said Jim Artis, Ph.D., director of admissions for OU-COM and chairman of the 25th Anniversary Committee.
"I am most pleased," said Dan Marazon, D.O., interim dean of OU-COM, "that Gov. Taft has honored the college and its employees through issuing of this proclamation. After being established in 1975, the first class began in 1976. One year was an incredibly short start-up period for a medical school to begin operation. From that initial success, the college has gone on to build a record of achievements of which to be proud.
"A 1998 study of American medical schools by the American Medical Student Association Foundation ranked OU-COM as the nation's top institution for producing family practice doctors. Overall, we have trained more than 1,600 physicians.
"It is a major success that at the highest levels of state government we are recognized as an institution that is truly making a positive difference in lives of the citizens of Ohio."
