IUP, ACMH Establish Clinical Training Agreement for Osteopathic Medical College

Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and Armstrong County Memorial Hospital (ACMH) have signed a clinical training agreement aimed at addressing the rural healthcare crisis in Pennsylvania. The agreement supports IUP's proposed college of osteopathic medicine, which aims to begin admitting students by 2027, with a focus on training future physicians to serve rural communities. IUP President Dr. Michael Driscoll emphasized the need for more medical professionals in rural areas, where the physician-to-patient ratio is significantly lower than the national average. The partnership allows medical students to gain hands-on experience through clinical rotations at ACMH, which hopes to foster a new generation of primary care physicians. Hospital officials expressed optimism that exposing students to rural medicine will encourage them to practice in underserved areas after graduation. This initiative is part of a broader effort, including similar agreements with other local hospitals, to enhance healthcare delivery in rural Pennsylvania.