Touro Readies for Osteopathic Medicine Expansion
Work on Truett Hall Continues with Target Completion by End of 2023
The 2022-2023 academic year brought with it approval to expand Touro University California’s founding college by 37% in Fall 2024, allowing the University to graduate an additional 50 osteopathic doctors each year starting with the Class of 2029.
It’s an expansion that was long envisioned.
Work to convert the historic Truett Hall building into a home for an expanded College of Osteopathic Medicine continues with projects both inside and outside the structure.
Touro University California announced in December that the College had received approval to expand the Fall 2024 incoming class by 50 students, from 135 to 185. The announcement was a culmination of sorts, with work already underway to modernize Truett Hall as the College was seeking approval for the expansion from its accreditation organization.
Program expansion matches with one of Touro University California’s central charges to meet the growing demand for health care providers, particularly in the area of primary care. Program expansion should also benefit communities here in Solano County as well as those across the greater Bay Area and the state: a record 73% of the Class of 2023 matched in residency programs across the state, many in the Bay Area and in Central California, with 67% of matches in primary care.
Touro University California Provost and CEO Dr. Sarah Sweitzer has said the university has for the past decade anticipated a primary care physician shortage. She said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated that timeline, making Touro’s approved class size expansion “critical to the state of California.”
The $7 million Truett Hall project was facilitated by a $1 million grant Rep. Mike Thompson helped to secure. The 33,000-square-foot building will serve as the new home for the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Doctoring, and Ultrasound labs, as well as newly developed Team-Based Learning classroom spaces. Student Services the College of Education and Health Sciences will also have space in the renovated Truett Hall.
Dr. Tami Hendriksz, Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Touro University California, notes that the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine is the No. 1 ranked medical school in the state whose graduates match into primary care specialties and go on to serve disadvantaged and rural populations in California, according to the National Center for the Analysis of Healthcare Data.
“We are very excited about the opportunity we have to graduate more outstanding osteopathic physicians, trained with our unique emphasis on structural competency,” said Dr. Tami Hendriksz, Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Touro University California. “This allows us to continue to address physician shortages and better serve the needs of the underserved communities in our state. Our class size increase also allows us to develop new learning spaces on our campus and continue to expand our incredible clinical partnerships.”