Making History: OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation graduates first class to aid underserved communities

Making History: OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation graduates first class to aid underserved communities

Friday, September 13, 2024

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | [email protected]

In eighth grade, Mackenzee Thompson wrote an essay about wanting to be a doctor when she grew up. Her decision was solidified after volunteering at a free clinic in college.

"I really understood what a career in medicine meant. It was incredible to me that I could use what I studied and learned to directly impact the health of families for the better, just by offering my time," said Thompson, a Choctaw Nation citizen who grew up in the small town of Washington, Oklahoma.

Dean Natasha Bray hoods Charlee Dawson, a graduate of the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation.

Thompson was one of 46 members of the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation's inaugural class that graduated in May. She is now completing a family medicine residency with the Cherokee Nation Health System in Tahlequah, just next door to the medical school she attended.

"OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation was the perfect fit for me, being both a Native American student and coming from a rural town. Not only was it amazing to be immersed in Cherokee culture, but I felt comfortable living in a smaller town while getting my medical education," she said. "I had already considered wanting to practice in a Native health care system in the future, so getting my medical education in an environment that would offer the best training to do that was a no-brainer for me."

In October 2018, Dr. Kayse Shrum, who was then president of OSU Center for Health Sciences, and then-Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker, announced the creation of OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation - the country's first tribally affiliated medical school - to be constructed in Tahlequah, the headquarters of the Cherokee Nation.

Two years later, OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation opened and welcomed its inaugural class. Those medical students are now doctors.

"Tonight, we celebrate the realization of a dream, one that started over a decade ago when I served as president of OSU Center for Health Sciences," said Shrum, now president of the OSU system, during the May 16 commencement ceremony held at the Mabee Center in Tulsa. "We wanted to expand our efforts to better the health outcomes of rural Oklahomans while also growing the medical school."

Much like the founding of OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah was established with the mission to train physicians dedicated to serving rural and underserved populations.

"These graduates, who have completed their training in the heart of the Cherokee Nation, embody the values of service, compassion and excellence that define both the Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma State University," said Dr. Johnny Stephens, OSU Center for Health Sciences president. "Their journey has been one of dedication, perseverance and cultural understanding. As they embark on their careers, they will carry with them the unique perspective and knowledge gained from this groundbreaking partnership."

About 35% of the students from the inaugural class matched with rural or tribal residency programs. And 20% of the graduating class from OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation are Native American from several tribes, including the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. It's a substantial percentage compared to the national average for medical schools, which have Native American student populations of less than 1%.

"As we celebrated the historic milestone of the first class of students graduating from the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, we honored the resilience of our ancestors who faced adversity with courage and determination. Their legacy lives on as this exceptional group of doctors break barriers and forge new paths in health care," Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr said. "Their dedication not only addresses the critical shortage of rural doctors but also increases the representation of Native and Cherokee physicians within our health system and other tribal health systems in this state, ensuring top-notch care rooted in culture for generations to come. Our ancestors would undoubtedly be proud of their achievements, knowing that their perseverance continues to inspire progress and healing in our communities."

A groundbreaking ceremony for the medical school was held in spring 2019, followed by a topping-off ceremony later that fall. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with building supply chain issues in 2020, delayed the opening of the 84,000-square-foot medical school building until January 2021.

It hasn't been an easy journey for the inaugural class, which started coursework in August 2020. That first semester, they had to attend many courses virtually due to the pandemic, and any required in-person classes were held at the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center or W.W Hastings Hospital until the building was complete.

"The first semester of medical school is difficult. Compound the stress of moving, forming new relationships, learning a high volume of complex information during a global pandemic, and you begin to understand the challenges faced by the class of 2024," said Dr. Natasha Bray, OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation dean. "The class of 2024 demonstrated resilience and leadership. They developed deep friendships and a culture of support both in the learning environment and the community. They developed a deep, and I hope enduring, appreciation of the role of physician in service."

Ashton Glover Gatewood, an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation and descendent of the Chickasaw and Cherokee nations of Oklahoma, was working as a nurse and health care administrator at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic when she applied to be part of the first class of medical students on the new Tahlequah campus.

"I loved being a member of the inaugural class. We went through a lot as a class. I think we had a unique set of challenges, but we really grew together; we uplifted each other, and we helped each other. Our faculty, staff and facilities make this a premier medical school, especially for students interested in primary care, rural health and tribal health," said Gatewood, runner-up for National Student D.O. of the Year in 2022. "I also feel a responsibility to represent my tribe. I hope that my story can inspire others to continue pursuing their dreams, especially Native students and women who may not have many mentors in their communities."

For Thompson, being a part of the inaugural class meant connecting with her heritage.

"I grew up outside of the Choctaw Nation and my family didn't carry many Choctaw traditions, so attending OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation truly brought me closer to my heritage and allowed me to connect with other students like me," she said. "I learned so much from my other Native American colleagues and finding those similarities in our journey further added to the feeling of community I felt in Tahlequah."

OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation students take a break from studying in their study carrels.

Bray said students in the inaugural class completed an immense number of community service hours, including being trained and then administering COVID-19 vaccinations through Cherokee Nation Health Services, building homes with Tahlequah Habitat for Humanity, supporting Tahlequah's Help in Crisis nonprofit organization, as well as serving many other community groups and organizations.

"I cannot adequately express my pride and admiration for the class of 2024. Their selfless service to each other and the communities we serve is admirable. Watching their growth and development of professional identity has been a deep honor," she said. "I know they will do such meaningful and amazing things in their professional lives and will make a deep impact on the communities they will serve."

Stephens said watching the inaugural class walk across the graduation stage was the culmination of a decadelong pursuit to build a sustainable physician pipeline for rural and underserved Oklahoma.

"I'm so impressed by their achievements, and I'm looking forward to the positive impact they will undoubtedly have on the health and well-being of the communities they serve," he said.

Photos by: Matt Barnard and Gary Lawson

Story by: Sara Plummer | STATE Magazine

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