Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM) announces affiliation agreement with UF Health Central Florida.
The Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine has signed an affiliation agreement with UF Health Central Florida. The affiliation agreement will allow medical students to participate in clinical training at The UF Villages Hospital and UF Leesburg Hospital campuses. “The affiliation with The UF Hospitals (The Villages and Leesburg), are deeply committed to providing a premier educational environment for developing OCOM medical students into compassionate, highly skilled, and ethical physicians. The affiliation is truly an example of the tremendous support from our community in The Villages, Leesburg, and surrounding areas,” said Dr. James Toth, OCOM Regional Site Director, The Villages - Leesburg.
The new OCOM school is a $200 million dollar project, including the medical school and apartments beside the medical school. In August of 2024, the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine in Horizon West welcomed its inaugural class of the next generation of professional health care leaders. The first class at OCOM has 97 students. At full enrollment, the expected student body will be 720 students.
“OCOM is going to change healthcare for the region for generations to come,” stated Dr. Robert Hasty, founding dean and chief academic officer of OCOM. “With an innovative medical school curriculum meticulously crafted by our esteemed faculty, our institution stands at the forefront of modern medical education. The educational journey that awaits our future medical students promises to be transformative. During the student's third- and fourth years, they will complete clinical rotations with notable and highly respected hospital systems like UF Health Central Florida Hospitals and emerge as highly proficient and caring physicians. This partnership is expected to significantly contribute to addressing the physician shortage within the Central Florida community.”
Heather Long, Chief Executive Officer of UF Health Central Florida, said, “Pursuing excellence in quality outcomes and creating a superior experience for our patients is what we strive for every day at UF Health Central Florida. We are thrilled to partner with OCOM to expand our medical education opportunities in training the next generation of physicians. This partnership will create opportunities for students to learn in a collaborative and innovative environment, with access to innovative technologies and research. By integrating our clinical expertise, in partnership with OCOM, we aim to provide a rich and comprehensive training experience. UF Health has a renowned legacy of excellence in medical education, and we could not be more excited to welcome the new class of medical students from OCOM as we champion healthcare for our community.”
“At UF Health Central Florida, we are committed to promoting health through outstanding, high-quality patient care that includes innovative and rigorous education. Putting a focus on education is more important now than ever since, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States will face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036,” said Dr. John M. Davidyock, Senior Vice President and Chief Physician Executive of UF Health Central Florida. “Through this partnership with OCOM, we will increase our already strong investment in training new physicians, which will be critical to mitigating the projected shortfalls. UF Health has a tremendous pedigree in the educational realm. I am proud that UF Health Central Florida continues to be committed to our UF Health students, along now with a dedication to training new physicians from OCOM who will then go on to care for those here in Central Florida and across the nation.”
The affiliations also present new opportunities for faculty development, potential collaborative research projects and other possibilities. The medical staff physicians at UF Health Central Florida are among the best in their profession. These physicians are willing to assist in instructing the medical students. The staff has an opportunity to stay at the forefront of medicine through what the students are learning.
