ATSU-KCOM, ATSU-SOMA earn top marks in U.S. News & World Report medical school rankings
Posted: August 2, 2024
A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) and School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) earned high marks in the 2024 Best Graduate Schools for Medicine rankings by U.S. News & World Report, demonstrating a commitment to the University’s mission of providing high quality healthcare to underserved populations.
ATSU-KCOM is ranked No. 1 in graduates serving rural areas, with 26.5% providing whole person healthcare to those communities. Nearly one-third of ATSU-KCOM graduates are also practicing in health professional shortage areas, ranking the College No. 28 in that category.
“ATSU-KCOM is proud to lead in service to rural communities, with its history of providing physicians to areas where they are needed most,” said Margaret Wilson, DO, ’82, dean. “The long-standing record of producing primary care physicians who serve not only in rural but other underserved areas meets our mission and truly makes an impact on healthcare for the country.
“We are committed to continuing to train highly competent and committed osteopathic physicians for the physician workforce of the future.”
ATSU-SOMA and ATSU-KCOM were each ranked highly in graduates practicing in primary care, coming in at Nos. 6 and 8, respectively, with more than 40% becoming primary care providers. ATSU-SOMA also ranked No. 43 in most graduates practicing in rural areas and No. 44 in most diverse medical schools.
“These strong rankings continue to highlight the tremendous care ATSU-SOMA takes in holding true to our university and medical school missions,” said Sharon Obadia, DO, FNAOME, ’97, dean. “We focus on creating compassionate osteopathic physicians for underserved communities through our admissions process, foundational curriculum, and clinical curriculum partnerships with community health centers.”
U.S. News & World Report, working with the Robert Graham Center, a division of the American Academy of Family Physicians as the data provider, ranked medical schools by the percentage of each school’s 2015-2017 graduates practicing direct patient care in rural areas of the U.S. These areas are defined using the USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Classification.