Old Westbury, NY – New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM) at NYIT announced programs now underway in connection with a three-year, $1 million Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) grant awarded in September 2009 from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The overall project targets disadvantaged students, beginning as early as high school, who are interested in medical and health careers by offering enrichment and skill-building activities, assisting with college and financial aid applications, and facilitating entry into medical schools. It is also serving to increase the primary care clinical preceptorships available to NYCOM students in clinical practices that have been identified as providing culturally competent primary care to vulnerable populations.

"The initial implementation phase of this opportunity grant program has been an exciting and rewarding experience," said Mary Ann Achtziger, NYCOM associate dean of student affairs. "We look forward to expanding and implementing all phases of our HCOP grant programs during the next three years."

The following grant objectives have been achieved to date:

• The Achievers into Medicine Program (AIM) has been established for undergraduate NYIT students who meet specific criteria and are interested in pursuing a career in the medical profession. AIM offers a series of workshops including MCAT practice sessions, study skills, and test-taking/time management workshops for prospective doctors of osteopathic medicine.
• Primary Care Exposure: NYCOM has established additional third- and fourth-year sites to promote placement of students in underserved areas including:
  
  • Capital Health System (Trenton, N.J.) – third-year core rotations in medicine, surgery, OB/GYN, psychiatry, and family medicine
  • Peconic Bay Medical Center (Riverhead, N.Y.) – third-year core rotations in medicine, family medicine, and general medicine
  • Trinitas Hospital (Elizabeth, N.J.) – third-year core rotations in medicine, OB/GYN, and psychiatry, and fourth-year rotations in general medicine and emergency medicine
  • Flushing Medical Center (Queens, N.Y.) – third-year core psychiatry
  • St. Mary's Hospital (Bayside, N.Y.) – fourth-year developmental pediatrics
• New Third-year Core Clerkship Positions beginning August 2010:
  
  • Nassau University Medical Center (East Meadow, N.Y.) – family medicine
  • Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center (Brooklyn N.Y.) – OB/GYN
  • The Institute for Family Health (Kingston, N.Y.) – OB/GYN

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NYIT is the college of choice for more than 15,000 students enrolled in more than 90 specialized courses of study leading to undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in academic areas such as architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. As a private, nonprofit, independent institution of higher learning, NYIT embraces an educational philosophy of career-oriented professional education for all qualified students and supports applications-oriented research to benefit the greater global community. Students attend classes at NYIT's campuses in Manhattan and Long Island, as well as online and in a number of programs throughout the world.

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Briana Samuels
Communications Specialist
516.686.1354