Duquesne’s Medical College Closer to Accreditation

Moving toward its fall 2024 launch, Duquesne University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) has received “pre-accreditation status” from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). This status means the University can now begin recruiting students to the medical college.

The move to pre-accreditation status marks an important step, as it demonstrates the college has made significant progress toward its goals, having first earned candidate status in January 2022. Construction of the COM building is now well underway, senior leadership is in place, and the college’s curriculum has met COCA guidelines. 

“This is a momentous occasion for Duquesne University and the Pittsburgh region, as we begin to attract and train the next generation of physicians for western Pennsylvania and beyond,” said Dr. John Kauffman, dean of the COM. “We are excited to invite students to become the first class of Duquesne’s College of Medicine.”

“The progress of our medical college marks another milestone in Duquesne’s legacy as a major anchor in the health care field,” said Duquesne University President Ken Gormley. “Our university continues to enjoy positive momentum on a variety of fronts. We are grateful for the generous support we have received from the Pittsburgh community – government, industry, foundations and alumni – in making the historic launch of the College of Medicine a reality.” 

When the college launches in fall 2024, it will enroll 85 students with the plan to grow annual enrollment to 170 students beginning in 2026. The college plans to enroll 680 students over all four years by the 2029-2030 school year.

For their first two years, students will study at the University’s medical school, which will feature state-of-the-art technology and focus on various areas of patient care, including family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine and surgery, among others.

The final two years of training will take place at the school’s partner hospitals. Duquesne has agreements with numerous hospitals in western and northwestern Pennsylvania. These health care partners will offer clinical placements for third-year and fourth-year medical students. 

“We will be recruiting students from our region with the goal of keeping them here,” said Duquesne Provost Dr. David Dausey. “With a state-of-the-art medical school featuring Pittsburgh as its backdrop, we are excited about the future.”

With its expertise in nursing, pharmacy, allied health care and the sciences, Duquesne is perfectly positioned to launch a medical college. With its focus on integrative and community health, the University has provided thousands of health screenings, flu shots, COVID vaccines and asthma clinics for vulnerable populations in the region.

The launch of the college comes at an important time, as the region and nation are facing a growing shortage of primary care doctors, especially in underserved urban and rural areas. The COM exemplifies Duquesne’s legacy and commitment to promoting health equity in the region. 

Duquesne University

Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 8,000 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.

It's time for bigger goals. Follow Duquesne University on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.
www.duq.edu