Treat of the Day: SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine milestone

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (KBTX) - Sam Houston State University hopes to address a shortage of primary care physicians in Texas.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine is now eligible for new funding after Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a legislative initiative.

It designates SHSU-COM as eligible for state formula funding, according to the University.

“We are incredibly grateful to Governor Abbott, Senator Brandon Creighton, Representative Will Metcalf, the legislature, the leadership of the university and the Texas State University System, and all those who have supported our journey. The success of this initiative was due to our mission and the early successes of our student doctors, faculty and staff,” said Dr. Thomas Mohr, DO, Dean of SHSU-COM.

Mohr said over 96 percent of SHSU-COM students are Texans who plan to remain in the state to complete their training and set up practice.

The formula funding will eliminate disparities between SHSU-COM tuition costs and tuition costs of all other Texas public medical schools and private schools.

This will allow SHSU-COM to amplify its focus on training a new generation of osteopathic physicians to practice primary care medicine in rural, underserved and community-based settings without the burden of substantial student loan debt which often forces student doctors to prioritize higher-paying specialties over primary care.

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