Oregon Institute of Technology officials outlined a plan on the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development floor to establish Oregon’s first public college of osteopathic medicine on the Klamath Falls campus to expand primary-care capacity across the state.

In an informational presentation, Nagi Naganathan, president of Oregon Institute of Technology, told the committee that the proposal aims to increase the number of primary-care providers in Oregon and to train physicians who will establish practices in rural communities. “As a community engaged polytechnic university, Oregon Tech believes it's time we address the problem, not continue alleviating the symptoms,” Naganathan said.

The proposal would pair an osteopathic medical curriculum with Oregon Tech’s hands-on, technology-infused teaching approach and local clinical partnerships. David Cobble, president and CEO of Sky Lakes Medical Center and a member of Oregon Tech’s board, described the Klamath Falls clinical environment and workforce need: “In Klamath County, we have approximately 1 primary care provider to every 2,000 residents.” Galen Marr, Oregon Tech’s executive director of health and wellness, displayed state data and said roughly 2,500,000 Oregonians live in areas designated as health-provider shortage areas, producing lower life expectancy and other disparities in rural regions.

Presenters said the college would be an osteopathic program (DO), not an allopathic (MD) program, noting nationwide data they cited showing osteopathic graduates are more likely to enter primary care. The school’s curriculum would emphasize hands-on clinical training, and presenters said clinical rotation hours would be preserved under accelerated-degree models. “The clinical hours remain the same,” Marr said when members asked whether a three‑year option would reduce hands-on training.

Oregon Tech cited existing assets that it says make Klamath Falls suitable for the program: a longstanding partnership and adjacent campus relationship with Sky Lakes Medical Center, existing allied-health programs, simulation and training space on campus, and transfer pathways from regional community colleges. Presenters described plans to pursue a detailed planning and feasibility study that would outline financial and operating models, accreditation steps and a timeline; they said building a cohort would likely take two to three years from planning to first class depending on the scale.

Officials discussed funding scenarios and outside examples. Naganathan cited the recent University of Northern Colorado osteopathic program as an example of an aggressive state-backed launch, saying Colorado set aside state funds and the university raised additional private dollars for a new building and an initial large cohort. Presenters also said philanthropy and health-system commitments would be integral to capital and startup costs, and that Oregon Tech intends to seek philanthropic and legislative support after completing the planning study.

Committee members asked about partnerships with community colleges and distributed training models. Presenters said existing transfer agreements and joint programs already bring students from Klamath Community College and other regional institutions into Oregon Tech health programs, and they flagged Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and consortium-style clinical training as possible partners to place students across rural sites.

The meeting was informational; the committee took no formal action. Chair Jen Hudson closed the hearing after questions and comments. Presenters said next steps are a comprehensive planning study, continued engagement with clinical partners and fundraising and that they welcome committee guidance and support.