Touro University Nevada’s College of Osteopathic Medicine Receives Accreditation with ‘Exceptional Outcome’

LAS VEGAS, NEV (May 25, 2022) – At its May 2022 meeting, the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) awarded the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine the distinction of Accreditation with ‘Exceptional Outcome,’ the highest level possible.

This top level of accreditation is currently awarded to approximately 25 percent of all osteopathic medical schools. The approval time frame is 10 years. Touro University Nevada and Touro University California, the two osteopathic medical schools of the Touro University Western Division, were both awarded with this distinction.

 COCA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the only accreditor of colleges of osteopathic medicine nationwide. COCA accreditation signifies that an osteopathic medical school has met or exceeded the Commission’s standards for educational and academic quality.

“This is the best outcome we could hope to achieve,” said Wolfgang Gilliar, D.O., Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

 The exceptional outcome is a testament to the prowess and poise of the Nevada medical school that was founded in 2004 to help address the physician shortage in the Southern Nevada region and beyond. The medical school most recently graduated 172 physicians, with 55 doctors staying in Nevada to start their residency training here in the coming months.

Touro University Nevada has excelled in both residency/match placement and national board scores under Dean Gilliar’s leadership. Touro’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2022 recently achieved a 99.4% residency placement and within the past four years, twice achieved a match/placement rate of 100%.

“By receiving this distinction,” Dean Gilliar continued, “we feel that the accreditors extend their trust in the work we do, and this trust serves as reassurance and catalyst for us to move forward through academic creativity, innovation, and a meaningful integration into clinical practice and research. This in turn will lead to new health care paradigms, both for individual patients and the population at large.”

Dean Gilliar credited the dedication and motivation of the medical school’s students, staff, faculty, and alumni/ae who all came together in a true team effort during the nearly two-year accreditation process.

By creating such useful, long-term time frames, as in this case, of 10 years, it is possible to formulate novel ways to ready today’s students to become distinct physician leaders in Nevada and beyond.

“This truly is continuous quality improvement at its best,” Dean Gilliar said.

“This is tremendously exciting news for both Nevada and California,” said Shelley Berkley, CEO & Senior Provost, Touro University Western Division. “The dedicated effort of our faculty and staff and the compassion and drive of our students and alumni/ae are directly reflected in this recognition. I congratulate Dean Gilliar (Nevada) and Dean Hendriksz (California) for their leadership, and the faculty and staff on both campuses for their extraordinary efforts in creating truly outstanding medical education programs.”

“This is an impressive milestone by the College of Osteopathic Medicine,” said Dr. Andrew Priest, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Touro University Nevada. “Being awarded 10 years of accreditation will allow the medical school to advance its strategy of evidence-based medicine and research integration into best osteopathic medical practice through digital health such as Point of Care Ultrasound, inter-professional education, and practical skills learning through simulation. The future is here.”

“The goal of education is to be innovative and to enhance the learning landscape for not only better and safer outcomes for our patients and society but also to foster joy and satisfaction in the work we all do as professionals. We have been given an incredible opportunity to do just that, and for this we are extremely grateful,” Dean Gilliar concluded.

ABOUT TOURO UNIVERSITY NEVADA

Touro University Nevada (Touro) is Nevada’s largest school of medicine, the state’s only school of osteopathic medicine, fully accredited, and a private, non-profit, Jewish-sponsored institution. Opened in 2004, Touro was established to help address critical needs in health care and education and as a resource for community service throughout the state. Touro is now home to nearly 1,500 students, in a wide variety of degree programs including osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, education, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and medical health sciences. The university’s Henderson campus includes a multi-specialty health center and a multi-disciplinary Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. For more information on Touro, visit www.tun.touro.edu or call 702-777-8687.