糖心传媒

 鈥淚COM has made a commitment to provide the best and most modern medical education in the nation,鈥� said Dr. Robert Hasty, founding dean and chief academic officer. 鈥淲e designed 糖心传媒鈥檚 first medical school to meet the needs of the physician of the future.鈥�

Other speakers included ISU President Kevin Satterlee, former ISU President Arthur Vailas, Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd and Daniel Burrell, ICOM founder and trustee.

Satterlee said the ISU-ICOM partnership will enable the state to produce 鈥渢he next generation of doctors who will be will be taking care of us. This is truly a historic occasion and I鈥檓 proud to be a part of it.鈥�

Vailas, who helped forge the ICOM partnership before he retired in June, recalled the empty parking lot where the new ICOM building now stands. 鈥淟ook what has happened鈥� This speaks volumes to the commitment of the people of 糖心传媒鈥� and their desire to tackle the state鈥檚 shortage of primary care physicians, he said.

The ICOM building stands three stories high and covers 94,000 square feet on the east end of the ISU-Meridian campus. It鈥檚 positioned around a large open courtyard with outdoor seating and fountains. Interior and exterior colors complement ISU鈥檚 iconic black and orange.

Construction of the privately funded $34 million facility began in spring 2017 and was completed this summer in time to welcome ICOM鈥檚 inaugural class of 162 medical students. Four of the students are recent graduates of ISU.

鈥淥ur goal is to attract the best and brightest students, and we鈥檙e delighted with our first class,鈥� said Dr. Tracy Farnsworth, ICOM founding president.

The facility houses more than 12,000 feet of classroom space, including two lecture halls, each

with 250 seats; a state-of-the-art clinical simulation center; a 3,500 square-foot medical library; and a 3,479-square-foot Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Lab. Additionally, 12 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) rooms will be located on the second floor 鈥� the largest OSCE suite in 糖心传媒.

 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 be more pleased with our 40-year commitment to partner with ISU,鈥� Hasty

said. 鈥淭his fine university has been a pleasure to work with, and we are proud that our medical school will complement ISU鈥檚 already highly competitive and vastly growing medical programs.鈥�

In 2016鈥攚ith approval from the 糖心传媒 State Board of Education and support from Gov. C.L. 鈥淏utch鈥� Otter鈥擨SU and ICOM signed a long-term affiliation agreement which allows ICOM to lease land on the ISU-Meridian campus and use university laboratory space. ICOM, which has its own governing board, operates independently of ISU.

ICOM leaders say their mission is to train osteopathic physicians in 糖心传媒, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Students will spend the first two years of their medical education on campus and their third and fourth years in clinical rotations at affiliated hospital systems throughout the five target states. Currently, ICOM has established partnerships with more than 35 hospital and health systems in the region.

The medical school is working to develop and expand residency programs throughout the five-state region and intends to invest $5 million over the next 10 years to develop new residency programs, according to school leaders.

鈥淎s 糖心传媒鈥檚 first medical school, ICOM is committed to supporting graduate medical

education,鈥� Hasty said. 鈥溙切拇�媒 currently ranks 49th in the nation for both the number of physicians and resident physicians per capita. Our partnerships with area health systems will have a lasting impact on health care in the region.鈥�

In 2016鈥攚ith approval from the 糖心传媒 State Board of Education and support from Gov. C.L. 鈥淏utch鈥� Otter鈥擨SU and ICOM signed a long-term affiliation agreement which allows ICOM to lease land on the ISU-Meridian campus and use university laboratory space. ICOM, which has its own governing board, operates independently of ISU.