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Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #2 for schools that turn out the most primary care residents, and #23 for most graduates overall practicing in primary care following residency. In addition, LMU-DCOM ranked #6 for most graduates practicing in medically underserved areas and #11 for most graduates practicing in rural areas.

“LMU has consistently topped the list for producing the most primary care graduates for the last five years, which is a testament that our graduates are fulfilling our mission,” said LMU-DCOM Dean and Chief Academic Officer Christopher Loyke, DO, FACOFP. “We are proud to be meeting our mission, but we know the need for doctors is ever-growing, and there is more work to be done, especially following a global pandemic. We remain fully committed to doing our part in building the primary care workforce of tomorrow and helping to meet the needs of rural Appalachia.”

LMU-DCOM was established in 2007 in Harrogate, Tennessee, with the mission of placing primary care doctors in Appalachia and the surrounding area. Part of its mission focuses on enhanced access to comprehensive health care for underserved communities.

Since 2011 it has graduated 1,976 doctors, many of whom work in East Tennessee and the surrounding states.

The newest cohort of osteopathic physicians from the Class of 2021 will begin residency on July 1. Approximately 82% of the 216 graduates will enter their first year of residency training in a primary care track, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, emergency medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine and transitional year. The members of the Class of 2021 will be practicing in 19 different specialties in 177 different residency programs in 35 states and the District of Columbia.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimates a shortage of between 21,000 and 55,200 primary care doctors by 2032. According to the American Osteopathic Association, 57% of doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.s) in active practice are primary care physicians.

The DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine is located on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. LMU-DCOM is an integral part of LMU’s values-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of osteopathic physicians to provide health care in the often-underserved region of Appalachia and beyond.

For more information about LMU-DCOM, call 1.800.325.0900, ext. 7082, email dcom@LMUnet.edu, or visit us online at http://med.LMUnet.edu.