Hattiesburg, Miss. (Hattiesburg American) – William Carey University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine was awarded a $20 million infrastructure grant last week to further expand its offerings in medical education and workforce development.
The infrastructure grant, announced Friday, was given through AccelerateMS to create an Institute of Primary Care.
“We are extremely grateful for this impactful grant. The institute will be a beacon to transform and improve health care for all of our Mississippi communities,” said Dr. Italo Subbarao, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The Institute of Primary Care will enhance the college’s mission to increase the number of primary care physicians in rural and underserved areas in Mississippi and the Gulf South.
The institute will train student doctors and primary care resident physicians, help community physicians and other healthcare providers advance their training and certifications, and provide a medical education space for advancements related to primary care.
“William Carey University has focused on workforce areas in our state which need the most attention — the fields of education and healthcare,” Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said in a news release. “Under the leadership of Dr. Ben Burnett, and in partnership with the legislature, this $20 million grant will directly result in an infusion of new doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals into rural Mississippi.”
The Institute of Primary Care will have a large, state-of-the-art osteopathic manipulative medicine lab and a point-of-care ultrasound skills lab. It will include an innovative skills simulation center and a large conference room for continuing medical education events.
“Our College of Osteopathic Medicine was established with a primary purpose to do just as Christ did, to serve the underserved. That was the main mission of our namesake, William Carey,” WCU President Ben Burnett said. “We’re not just named after Dr. William Carey, we want to continue the ministry that he started more than 200 years ago. Today’s announcement is a culmination of a year and a half of work by Dr. Subbarao and his team. The fruits of their labor will strengthen the mission we created exponentially.”
The $20 million Mississippi Health Sciences Training Infrastructure Grant funds are allocated from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program, which is part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Under 2022 House Bill 1006, AccelerateMS is responsible for the management, oversight, and monitoring of these funds.
“We are honored and privileged to participate in a team that is focused on trying to improve the lives of Mississippians in a very palpable way. I cannot think of a workforce sector more important than supporting people who have a heart for serving those in the most vulnerable positions,” said Ryan Miller, executive director of AccelerateMS.
For more information about the Institute of Primary Care, call 601-318-6235 or email com@wmcarey.edu.