Forty-three students from the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM) in Harlem joined with over a thousand DOs and osteopathic medical students on March 14 to visit with elected officials about key health policy issues that affect osteopathic medicine. The group’s primary focus was additional funding for graduate medical education – specifically additional residency spots nationwide. Currently legislation is pending that would increase the number of residency spots that teaching hospitals can offer residents by 15,000 positions.

Pictured, from left to right, are TouroCOM students Rosemarie Neilson, Evan Green, Benyamin Steinman, Brett Schupack, Mike Erickson, Kurien Matthews, and Dean Robert Goldberg, DO.

The group met briefly with Congressman Charles Rangel, who represents TouroCOM’s district; Congressman Joseph Crowley, a sponsor of pending legislation; and aides for Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Charles Schumer, and other elected officials representing New York State. Since its founding in 2007, TouroCOM has dedicated itself to encouraging minorities to enter medicine and to increasing the number of primary care physicians. The number of underrepresented minorities graduating TouroCOM is twice the average number for colleges of osteopathic medicine.

About the Touro College and University System
Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 19,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has branch campuses, locations and instructional sites in the New York area, as well as branch campuses and programs in Berlin, Jerusalem, Moscow, Paris, and Florida. Touro University California and its Nevada branch campus, as well as Touro College Los Angeles and Touro University Worldwide as separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System.

For further information on Touro College, click here.

Contact
Barbara Franklin
barbara.franklin@touro.edu
(212) 463-0400 ext. 5530