By: Reshelle Bihasa, Staff Writer

Xavier’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is over halfway done. It will be the nation’s first Jesuit College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

The proposed medical school aspires to incorporate the Jesuit tradition of “cura personalis,” and the osteopathic principle of considering the mind, body and spirit to treat the whole person.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine will offer two degree programs, including a master’s program in biomedical sciences and a four-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program (DO program). The DO program will take place on campus within the medical school building for the first two years and the last two will be clinical experience.

“The last two years of that program are spent at one of our Cincinnati partner hospitals, where you’ll spend time rotating with physicians, preceptors, doing different specialties within the medical field: pediatrics, general surgery, emergency medicine, internal medicine, OB-GYN, psychiatry and family medicine. So, there are all sorts of exposures that students will get in that third and fourth year,” founding Dean of the proposed College of Medicine, Dr. Steven Halm said.

The new medical school will also have eight specialized tracks students can pursue as well as a chapel within the building. As of now, there are 14 faculty members and staff employed.

“I want to create a culture, amongst the students, the faculty, the staff, in that building that’s going to perform even better, to give more, to find more, to serve the community and serve their patients down the road once they graduate,” Dr. Halm said.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine is not planning to offer an accelerated route for any undergraduate program. It aims to stay with the traditional requirement of a four-year bachelor’s degree to enter medical school.

“We will have some creative ways and pathways to give [Xavier undergraduates] some special treatment in the whole admissions process” Dr. Halm said.

 “Whether or not the school gives priority to Xavier University alumni, I think being this close to a medical school is a great opportunity for those of us interested in pursuing medicine,” sophomore biomedical major  Jasmine Washington said.

“It’s an excellent program to help increase students’ preparation for the MCAT as well,”  Dr. Halm said. 

“I do think that Xavier’s rigor has placed me in a good position for obtaining my future goals. I think that Xavier lays the foundation, and it is upon the students themselves to reap the full benefits of all the knowledge and opportunity that is available to them. One of the greatest resources that Xavier provides is the amazing professors that are always willing to help their students truly get all that they can out of their undergraduate experiences,” Washington said.

Xavier will be the fifth Jesuit medical school in the country joining Creighton University, Loyola University, Georgetown University and St. Louis University. Xavier will be the first Jesuit osteopathic program in the country as a D.O. medical school compared to M.D.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine building is set to be completed October 2026 and classes for the first medical school class will begin in the summer of 2027.