St. Lawrence University Creates New Pathway to Medical Education at UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine

In their shared efforts to ease health care workforce shortages in underserved communities across the Northeast, St. Lawrence University and the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) have signed a new articulation agreement that guarantees qualified graduates from St. Lawrence priority consideration for a medical education at Maine’s premier health professions university. 

As part of the agreement, eligible St. Lawrence students who meet the necessary academic and experiential criteria will receive a guaranteed interview for admission into UNE COM, which is Maine’s only medical school and one of the nation’s top providers of physicians working in rural and underserved areas. 

The agreement reflects the shared values and missions of both institutions, with a focus on addressing rural health care needs and providing students from diverse backgrounds with opportunities to pursue careers in medicine.  

The collaboration comes at a critical time as both UNE and St. Lawrence emphasize producing health care professionals who are prepared to aid underserved communities, including rural northern Maine and New York’s North Country, and beyond in wake of historic physician shortages across the nation. 

According to the American Hospital Association, the United States will face a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2033, including shortages of primary care physicians and specialists, while the Association of American Medical Colleges has said the U.S. may lose as many as 55,200 primary care physicians by that time. 

The articulation agreement aligns with UNE COM’s commitment to fostering access to medical education and broadening pathways for students interested in medicine during this critical time in the nation’s health care landscape. 

St. Lawrence University students, who come prepared with academically rigorous courses in the STEM fields, hands-on learning experiences, and a commitment to community engagement, will benefit from streamlined access to UNE COM, said Karin Heckman, associate professor of biology at St. Lawrence, adding that many of these students participate in research, complete certifications such as phlebotomy, or gain direct patient care experience, ensuring they arrive well-prepared to pursue advanced medical education. 

 “Healthcare is about more than just the pure science of illness and disease. The liberal arts curriculum at St. Lawrence challenges students to approach a problem from multiple angles and communicate with diverse audiences, which is consistent with the holistic approach to healthcare provided by osteopathic medical training,” said Heckman. “We are excited to connect our students with UNE COM as a means to achieve their goals!” 

The collaboration between UNE and St. Lawrence underscores the importance of creating clear pathways to medical education, especially in light of the national physician shortage. It also supports UNE COM’s strategic expansion efforts, including its relocation to UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences in 2025, which will increase its capacity to educate future physicians by 21%, or 200 physicians per class compared to 165. 

And both institutions look forward to welcoming the first cohort of students to benefit from the agreement, with five current St. Lawrence applicants already on track to receive priority consideration for UNE COM’s upcoming admission cycle.