Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Rocky Vista University (RVU) is a private, for-profit osteopathic medical school with campus locations in Parker, Colorado and Ivins, Utah. The school opened in 2006 as the only modern for-profit medical school in the United States, although several other for-profit schools have since opened. RVU's College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVUCOM) grants the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and admitted its inaugural class of medical students at the Parker, Colorado campus in August 2008.

Rocky Vista University
TypePrivate for-profit osteopathic medical school
Established2006
FounderYife Tien[1]
Budget$23.38 million[2]
PresidentClinton E. Adams, DO, FACHE[3]
DeanThomas N. Told, DO, FACOFP dist.
900
Location
Parker, Colorado, and Ivins, Utah
,
United States
CampusSuburban
Websitewww.rvu.edu

History

Rocky Vista University opened in 2006, and the first class was admitted in 2008. In 2017, a second campus was opened in Ivins, Utah, admitting its first class of osteopathic medical students in the fall of 2017. The college is fully accredited by the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, and regionally by the Higher Learning Commission.[4][5] The school graduated its inaugural class on May 19, 2012.

Academics

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
The college in 2015.

RVUCOM offers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree, which follows a systems-based, 4-year (8-semester) curriculum. Years 1 and 2 of the program consist primarily of classroom-based learning, focusing on the basic health sciences. As an enhancement to the general medical education, students of the college are offered the opportunity to enroll in one of four "Honors Tracks." Each track has a distinct emphasis on either Rural, Global, or Military Medical Practice, or on Medical Research/Academia.[6] Years 3 and 4 of the curriculum consist of clinical clerkships (Rotations) in major medical specialties. Under the supervision of practicing physicians, these clerkships are intended to train students to become competent medical providers in a variety of healthcare settings. Clerkship sites for RVUCOM students include various hospitals and clinics in the states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona and South Dakota.

Physician Assistant

A Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program is currently in development and the initial cohort of students was matriculated in September, 2018. The program is currently offered at the Parker, Colorado, RVUCOM campus only. It follows a 2-semester, didactic phase, followed by a 5-semester, clinical phase. The didactic phase provides students with core foundational concepts, while the clinical phase prepares students for competency in the "entrustable professional activities" (EPA) (competencies a student must achieve to successfully enter the physician assistant profession). The program has currently been granted Accreditation-Provisional status from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Admission to the program does not require completion of prerequisite academic coursework, however, the institution does provide applicants with a list of recommended prerequisite coursework, the completion of which is strongly recommended prior to submitting an application for admission. Additionally, admission to the program requires the successful completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants will also be expected to obtain a minimum of 1,000 hours of paid, healthcare-relevant experience prior to matriculation.[7]

Graduate Studies

Rocky Vista University offers a 9-month (30 semester hour) graduate program on both campuses leading to the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBS) degree. The program is designed for students looking to strengthen their competitiveness and academic background for admission to professional health programs. Admission to the program requires the successful completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale). All prerequisite coursework must have been successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better. Students completing the program, who then pursue admission to RVUCOM, are evaluated by their MSBS program director and faculty. These evaluators provide recommendations to the RVUCOM admissions committee regarding the student’s academic preparedness and aptitude of success in medical school.[8]

For-profit status

RVUCOM is notable for being the first modern day, for-profit medical school operating in the United States. As such, its opening generated controversy. Critics raise concerns that a for-profit school will be beholden to investors, and lack credibility. Supporters say that the school is held to the same academic and accreditation standards as other medical schools.[9][10]

Rocky Vista LLC was founded by Yife Tien and his wife Lucy Chua Tien, MD in 2006 and governed by a Board of Trustees.[1] Castle Pines Holdings LLC was established as a holding company to control the Tiens' interest in Rocky Vista LLC and provide stability in the event of Tien's death or incapacity.[11] In 2019, the ownership of Rocky Vista University was transferred to Medforth Global Healthcare Education.[12]

Graduate medical education

Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo, Colorado, has been awarded a 5-year $770,000 federal grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to train primary care internal medicine residents. Parkview has developed a new osteopathic internal medicine residency program which matriculated its first trainees in July 2012. The grant was a joint effort of Parkview Medical Center and Rocky Vista University along with the Center for Medical Education Excellence (formerly known as Rocky Mountain OPTI).[13] RVUCOM and the Center for Medical Education Excellence are currently working to establish additional residency programs in Colorado and Wyoming.[14]

HealthONE/Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colorado is also a participant in the Center for Medical Education Excellence, and is the site of an internal medicine residency program which collaborates with RVU.[15]

The Rocky Vista Health Center (RVHC) main entrance in 2017

Rocky Vista Health Center

RVUCOM owns and operates the health clinic, Rocky Vista Health Center (RVHC), located on the Parker, Colorado campus. The clinic is a primary care medical facility which provides continued health care and health maintenance for its patients. In addition to primary care, the clinic provides services in internal medicine, sports medicine, and osteopathic manipulation. The clinic employs board certified M.D. and D.O. physicians as well as resident physicians.

Advanced medical students of the college are periodically selected to work in the health clinic as “Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Fellows.” Under the supervision of board certified physicians, these students provide osteopathic manipulation to patients at discounted rates. The clinic accepts Medicaid and Medicare patients to help the underserved in the Denver and Parker area.[16]

See also

References
  1. "Meet Our Trustees". RVUCOM. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  2. "Fiscal Year 2013 Revenues and Expenditures by Osteopathic Medical College" (PDF). AACOM. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  3. "RVU Names New President and CEO". RVUCOM. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  4. "Accreditations". RVUCOM. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  5. "Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine". AOA. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  6. "Rocky Vista University". Honors Tracks. Rocky Vista University. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. "Rocky Vista University". Physician Assistant (PA) Program. Rocky Vista University. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  8. "Rocky Vista University". Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBS). Rocky Vista University. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  9. Croasdale, Myrle. "First for-profit med school nears approval". amed news. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  10. Whelan, David (29 September 2008). "An Uncommon Practice". Forbes. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  11. "Castle Pines Holding" (PDF). Rocky Vista. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  12. dbriggs (2018-12-02). "Educational Institutions". MEDFORTH / Global Healthcare Education. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  13. RVUCOM. "Vista View Newsletter" (PDF). Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  14. Rocky Vista University. Vista View Newsletter. (August 2012) Vol.5, No.1. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  15. "Sky Ridge IM". Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  16. "Rocky Vista Health Center". Rocky Vista Health Center - Insurance Accepted. Rocky Vista Health Center. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
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