Mission
Among the authorized functions of the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine is the education and training of osteopathic physicians. The institution offers a professional study program leading to the degree Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). Traditionally, the emphasis in osteopathic medical education has been placed on preparing physicians for family practice to assure health services for all members of the family. Campus and community based experiences included in the academic program emphasize the role of family physicians.

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education prescribe standards of higher education and determine functions and courses of study to conform to the standards prescribed. The state regents authorized OSU to carry out the following functions, effective July 1, 1988.

1. To prepare osteopathic physicians and surgeons for the State of Oklahoma through approved and accredited programs which offer complete medical studies, provide bases for further professional advancement, and encourage entrance into family practice.
2. To establish postgraduate programs of medical study, including multi-year internships and residencies, which prepare osteopathic physicians for full participation in both primary and specialized care aspects of professional practice in the State of Oklahoma.
3. To provide a program of public service to Oklahoma communities which are deficient in physician manpower by means of the college-affiliated outpatient clinics, hospitals, and other health-related centers.
4. To offer programs in continuing education for osteopathic physicians and related professionals in order to guarantee the continuation of high standards of osteopathic medical practice for the citizenry of Oklahoma.
5. To cooperate with scientific, educational, and public health agencies in the development of programs which contribute to the improvement of health service and are responsive to general public needs.
6. To engage in scientific research designed to improve the quality of health care with special emphasis given to the application of osteopathic concepts and principles.

History
Founded in 1972 to train primary care physicians to small towns and rural areas of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine continues to fulfill this mission. A 1971 study confirmed the feasibility of an osteopathic medical college, and the Oklahoma College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery was created on March 10, 1972.

In the spring of 1988, the Oklahoma legislature adopted House Bill No. 1801, repealing the law that established the Oklahoma College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery and declaring the College of Osteopathic Medicine to be an agency of Oklahoma State University. According to this new bill, the College will “continue to give emphasis to the preparation of doctors of osteopathic medicine in the field of general practice.”

The merger became official on July 1, 1988, when the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine became Oklahoma State University’s ninth college.

OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine students began study in 1974, and the first class of 34 students graduated in 1977. Since then, the college has graduated more than 2,000 students. The entering class size has increased from 36 in 1974 to its current 88 students.

The college is governed by the Board of Regents for Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, which also governs OSU, Langston University, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Connors State College, and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. An advisory board advises the President of the OSU Center for Health Sciences and Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the administration of OSU, and the Board of Regents for the A&M Colleges regarding the education of osteopathic physicians at OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Accreditation

The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The medical school is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) of the American Osteopathic Association, the recognized accrediting agency for institutions that train osteopathic physicians. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are empowered by the Oklahoma Constitution to prescribe standards for higher education applicable to each institution in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.