Tulsa, Oklahoma–(Newsfile Corp. – April 8, 2026) – For the third consecutive 12 months, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences has earned the No. 1 rating in the proportion of graduates training in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), in accordance with the most recent U.S. News & World Report medical faculty rankings.
HPSAs — also known as medical deserts — are areas, each rural and concrete, experiencing a scarcity of physicians and well being care suppliers.
In addition to sustaining its high rating in HPSAs, OSU-CHS improved to No. 8 in the nation for graduates training in rural areas, up from No. 11 final 12 months.
The establishment additionally ranked No. 13 for graduates training in major care, additional demonstrating its continued dedication to addressing doctor workforce shortages.
“These rankings reflect who we are and what we are called to do as an institution,” stated OSU-CHS President Johnny Stephens. “At OSU-CHS our mission has always been clear — to train physicians who will serve rural and underserved communities.”
OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine was established in 1972 with a legislative mandate to coach physicians for rural Oklahoma. Today, that mission continues via progressive applications and strategic partnerships, together with the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine on the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah — the nation’s first tribally affiliated medical faculty.
“What these rankings tell me is that our students are truly listening — to their patients, to their communities, and to the mission that brought them to OSU in the first place. Through our partnerships with the Cherokee Nation and rural hospitals across the state, we’ve built a foundation that shapes how our students learn to show up for people whose health needs have too often gone unmet,” stated Dr. Natasha Bray, dean of OSU-COM on the Cherokee Nation. “We are preparing physicians who recognize the unique needs of these communities and are committed to improving access to care. These rankings are a reflection of that work — and of the passion our graduates carry to serve where they are needed most.”
According to projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States will face a complete doctor scarcity of as much as 86,000 physicians by 2036. But OSU-CHS is working to shut that hole by coaching physicians and medical professionals to observe in rural and underserved communities throughout Oklahoma and past.
“To once again be recognized as No. 1 in the nation for graduates practicing in health professional shortage areas is a testament to the dedication of our students, faculty and alumni who are making a meaningful difference in communities that need it most,” Stephens stated. “They truly embody one of the tenets of the Cowboy Code — a passion for doing what’s right, even when it’s hard.”
