The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) made history Wednesday, Sept. 5, as officials cut the ribbon on Idaho’s first medical school.
“We are proud to unveil the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine to the community,” said Dr. Tracy Farnsworth, ICOM President. “Our goal is to educate and support the physicians of the future, and this facility will certainly help advance that mission.”
Located in Meridian, Idaho, the three-story, 94,000-square-foot facility cost $34 million, and took Engineered Structures, Inc. (ESI) just thirteen months to build. Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, a New Mexico-based architecture firm, did the design.
“The design of ICOM goes beyond state of the art medical education spaces,” said Steven J. Perich, AIA and Principal/Architect at D/P/S. “It incorporates biophilia design principles to encourage good health in students and faculty, and reinforces wellness as a primary tenet of osteopathic medicine. The building provides access to daylight and views, infusing the building with natural light and promoting movement by making the three-story central stair prominent and inviting. We believe that an environment that promotes wellbeing is particularly important for the students, faculty and staff of Idaho’s first osteopathic medical center.”
The facility houses more than 12,000 feet of classroom space, including: two lecture halls, each with 250 seats; a state-of-the-art clinical simulation center; a 3,5000-square-foot medical library; and a 3,479-square-foot Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Lab. Additionally, 12 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) rooms will be located on the second floor — the largest OSCE suite in the State of Idaho.
“ICOM has made a commitment to provide the best and most modern medical education in the nation,” said Founding Dean and Chief Academic Officer, Robert Hasty, DO. “We designed Idaho’s first medical school to meet the needs of the physician of the future.”
The Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine was the vision of Daniel Burrell, JD, founder and trustee of the school. The region’s chronic deficiency in physicians and residency programs, he says, motivated him to take a leap of faith by developing an osteopathic medical school.
“The key is to not only deliver high-quality education, but to then tie that with our mission of keeping those physicians in the region,” Burrell said. “Meridian and Boise ended up being the right choice for us because as a place to live, it’s highly appealing and cost effective; but also, there’s enormous growth opportunities for physicians over the long term.”
Students will spend the first two years of didactic training on campus. Afterward, they’ll spend the third and fourth years of their education doing clinical rotations at affiliated hospital systems throughout the five target states. Currently, ICOM has established partnerships with more than 35 hospital and health systems in the region.
“As an Idaho native, ICOM’s ribbon cutting carries with it a deep sense of pride and excitement,” said Erica Latorre, OMS-1. “Feelings that stem from the now real possibility to pursue my passion of learning and practicing medicine near my family and my friends in a community that is truly home.”
Classes for ICOM’s inaugural class of 162 students began Aug. 20.