Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
Name	Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
Established	1972
Type	Public graduate medical school
Parent	Oklahoma State University
City	Tulsa
State	Oklahoma
Country	United States
Campus	Urban

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences is a public graduate health sciences campus located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, affiliated with Oklahoma State University. The center provides clinical education, biomedical research, and interprofessional training through programs in medicine, biomedical sciences, and health professions. It serves regional healthcare needs while maintaining collaborations with academic, government, and clinical institutions across the United States.

History

The center was founded in 1972 amid statewide efforts involving the Oklahoma State Legislature, Governor David Boren, and leaders from Oklahoma State University and University of Oklahoma health communities. Early development involved partnerships with the Tulsa Regional Medical Center, the Saint Francis Health System, and the Hillcrest Medical Center network. Expansion in the 1990s and 2000s included construction financed through local philanthropy from families such as the George Kaiser Family Foundation and endowed chairs linked to donors like Curtis D. Laws. The campus later established research collaborations with national entities including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Leadership over time has included deans and presidents with ties to institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Academic programs

Degree programs include the osteopathic medical degree, graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, and professional programs in physician assistant studies, health administration, and biomedical informatics. The College of Osteopathic Medicine trains students using curricula influenced by methodologies from Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons case-based and clinical-skills models. Graduate programs award Master of Science and PhD degrees comparable to programs at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Clinical training rotations occur at affiliated hospitals including Saint Francis Hospital (Tulsa), Ascension St. John Medical Center, and regional sites such as Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and Integris Baptist Medical Center. Interprofessional education engages faculty from departments with histories at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, and Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Research and partnerships

Research priorities span neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, public health, and rural health delivery with funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and private foundations like the Kresge Foundation. The center maintains collaborative agreements with the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Tulsa Community College, and regional health systems including Saint Francis Health System and Sparrow Health System. Translational research projects have involved partnerships with biotech firms modeled on alliances seen with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, and Gilead Sciences. Population health and epidemiology studies have intersected with work by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health agencies like the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The center has also participated in multisite clinical trials coordinated with networks such as the Clinical and Translational Science Award consortium and contract research organizations linked to ICON plc and Parexel International.

Campus and facilities

The urban campus is situated in Tulsa with clinical and research facilities proximate to the Tulsa Arts District, River Parks (Tulsa), and downtown medical corridors. Key facilities include anatomy and simulation centers comparable to those at Emory University School of Medicine and University of Washington School of Medicine, a biomedical research tower with biosafety infrastructure, and interprofessional learning spaces similar to those at University of Minnesota Medical School. The campus houses specialized labs for molecular biology, imaging suites akin to those at Moffitt Cancer Center, and community clinics modeled after outreach sites run by Partners In Health and Cure Violence Global. Parking and transit linkages connect to Tulsa International Airport and regional rail and bus services.

Student life and organizations

Student organizations include chapters of national and regional groups such as the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Medical Student Association, the Student Osteopathic Medical Association, and specialty interest groups modeled after chapters at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University. Campus extracurriculars involve service-learning partnerships with community organizations like Habitat for Humanity, public health initiatives with the American Red Cross, and global health electives affiliated with institutions such as Partners In Health and Doctors Without Borders. Student government coordinates with statewide student associations including the Oklahoma Higher Education Student Government Association, and cultural groups maintain ties to organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Accreditation and rankings

Accreditation for medical and graduate programs is maintained through bodies including the American Osteopathic Association's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and regional recognition corresponding to standards used by the Higher Learning Commission and peer evaluators from institutions like University of California, San Francisco. Programmatic accreditation for allied health and graduate degrees aligns with national organizations similar to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, and specialty boards affiliated with the American Board of Medical Specialties. Rankings and assessments by professional organizations and publications have compared the center to peer programs at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in metrics for research productivity and graduate outcomes.

Category:Medical schools in Oklahoma Category:Universities and colleges in Tulsa, Oklahoma