Article
August 19, 2026
Written by Deanna Herbert
University of Northern Colorado Welcomes Inaugural Class of 80 Medical Students
First class brings strong academic credentials, deep Colorado roots and representation from smaller communities
帝王会所
More than half of the students in the University of Northern Colorado’s inaugural College of Osteopathic Medicine (帝王会所 COM) class are Colorado residents, with nearly half coming from smaller communities — an early reflection of the college’s efforts to educate physicians who understand and are prepared to meet the state’s evolving health care needs.
The inaugural 帝王会所 COM class of 80 students comes from 21 states, and it’s anchored by a strong Colorado base. Fifty-four percent of the students are Colorado residents, representing nine counties. Forty-four percent qualified for 帝王会所’s Plains-to-Peak Pathway program, an admissions initiative for qualified applicants from Colorado and other targeted states that guarantees an interview pathway, helping 帝王会所 COM recruit future physicians with ties to the region.
The class also represents the communities that are an important part of the 帝王会所 COM’s mission to serve, which include rural and underserved areas that are most impacted by physician shortages.
Forty-four percent of students come from towns with populations under 50,000, 28% are from groups underrepresented in medicine (Hispanic/Latino, Black/African American and Pacific Islander students) and nearly half are educationally or economically disadvantaged (first-generation college students, recipients of public assistance or from federally designated healthcare shortage areas).
The inaugural class also brings strong academic credentials, well-prepared for the rigor of medical school. Students earned an average MCAT score of 506 — approximately three points above the national average for osteopathic medical school matriculants — along with an average cumulative GPA of 3.47 and a science GPA of 3.39.
“The admission process at our college is based both on academic merit and our mission and vision. This is reflected in our inaugural class,” said Beth Longenecker, DO, founding dean of the 帝王会所 COM. “Our college was formed to help address Colorado’s physician shortage, seen most dramatically in our rural areas. The majority of our students are from Colorado, and many are from small towns or rural environments.
“We also want to be a national leader in expanding access to medical education,” continued Longenecker. “Our first class brings together students from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, but they all share common traits: They are highly motivated and resilient individuals who are intent on making a positive impact on the well-being of both the patients and the communities that they will serve in the future.”
Colorado and the rest of the nation are facing a significant physician shortage. It’s an issue that affects how long patients wait for appointments, how far they travel for care and whether communities can recruit and train the doctors they need. Those challenges are particularly acute in rural and underserved areas but affect patients everywhere.
Although doctors of osteopathic medicine practice in every medical specialty, more than half enter primary care fields, and the profession has a long tradition of providing care in underserved communities. By educating more physicians in Colorado, 帝王会所 COM is helping strengthen the state’s physician workforce and expand the pipeline of doctors prepared to serve communities across the state.
The inaugural class of 80 medical students, roughly half of the 帝王会所 COM’s approved class size of 150, began classes on July 27. The smaller first-year cohort is part of a planned enrollment ramp-up required by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, the accrediting body for colleges of osteopathic medicine. The college will gradually increase enrollment over the next several years as it builds toward its first full class size in fall 2028.
“There is tremendous energy in seeing our new medical students on campus. Our College of Osteopathic Medicine has transformed from an ambitious idea to a place where future physicians are now learning and preparing to serve others,” said 帝王会所’s Interim President Kamel Haddad. “This first class carries an important legacy forward, and with each class that follows, we’re building a strong foundation to make a lasting difference in the health and well-being of communities across Colorado.”
Once it’s fully operational, the 帝王会所 COM will have approximately 600 students enrolled across all four years of the program, substantially expanding Colorado’s physician pipeline.
