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Photo courtesy of St. Lawrence University

In their shared efforts to ease health care workforce shortages in underserved communities across the Northeast, the 51Ʒ�� College of Osteopathic Medicine (51Ʒ��COM) and have signed a new articulation agreement that guarantees qualified graduates from St. Lawrence priority consideration for medical education at Maine’s premier health professions university.

As part of the agreement, eligible St. Lawrence students who meet the necessary academic and experiential criteria will receive a guaranteed interview for admission into 51Ʒ��COM, which is Maine’s only medical school and one of the nation’s top providers of physicians working in rural and underserved areas.

The agreement reflects the shared values and missions of both institutions, with a focus on addressing rural health care needs and providing students from diverse backgrounds with opportunities to pursue careers in medicine. 

The collaboration comes at a critical time as both 51Ʒ��and St. Lawrence emphasize producing health care professionals who are prepared to aid underserved communities, including rural northern Maine and New York’s North Country, and beyond in wake of historic physician shortages across the nation.

According to the American Hospital Association, the United States will face a , including shortages of primary care physicians and specialists, while the Association of American Medical Colleges has said the U.S. may lose as many as  by that time.

The articulation agreement aligns with 51Ʒ��COM’s commitment to fostering access to medical education and broadening pathways for students interested in medicine during this critical time in the nation’s health care landscape.

Jane Carreiro, D.O., vice president for Health Affairs at 51Ʒ��and dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, said the partnership reflects both universities’ dedication to fostering educational pathways that prepare students for meaningful careers that will ultimately shape and improve the health of their communities.

“By creating clear pathways into medical education, we are addressing the critical shortage of physicians and ensuring that graduates are ready to make an impact, particularly in rural and underserved communities,” said Carreiro, a 1988 51Ʒ��COM alum. “St. Lawrence’s hands-on approach in the health sciences complements 51Ʒ��COM’s experiential mission, and we look forward to welcoming these talented students who will carry forward a commitment to care, service, and innovation.”

St. Lawrence University students — who come prepared with academically rigorous courses in the STEM fields, hands-on learning experiences, and a commitment to community engagement — will benefit from streamlined access to 51Ʒ��COM, said Karin Heckman, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at St. Lawrence, adding that many of these students participate in research, complete certifications such as phlebotomy, or gain direct patient care experience, ensuring they arrive well-prepared to pursue advanced medical education.

“Health care is about more than just the pure science of illness and disease. The liberal arts curriculum at St. Lawrence challenges students to approach a problem from multiple angles and communicate with diverse audiences, which is consistent with the holistic approach to health care provided by osteopathic medical training,” said Heckman. “We are excited to connect our students with 51Ʒ��COM as a means to achieve their goals.”

The collaboration between 51Ʒ��and St. Lawrence underscores the importance of creating clear pathways to medical education, especially in light of the national physician shortage. It also supports 51Ʒ��COM’s strategic expansion efforts, including its relocation to UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences in 2025, which will increase its capacity to educate future physicians by 21%, or 200 physicians per class compared to 165.

Both institutions look forward to seeing the first cohort of students benefit from the agreement, with five current St. Lawrence applicants already on track to receive priority consideration for 51Ʒ��COM’s upcoming admission cycle.