Heritage College, Dublin celebrates 10th anniversary

The Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine recently celebrated the 10th  anniversary of the opening of its campus in Dublin, which launched an expansion that turned the Heritage College into the largest medical school in Ohio. Since the campus opened, the number of Heritage College students has nearly doubled, with a current enrollment of 1,026 students.

The Dublin campus became a reality with the support of several partners, including OhioHealth, which is the college’s pre-eminent education partner in Dublin, and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, which gave a generous $105 million award to the college in 2011. At the time, it was the single largest gift ever given to an institution of higher education in Ohio.

“That partnership has led the Heritage College to create a lasting legacy as we prepare tomorrow’s physicians to address the most pervasive health care issues facing our state and our nation,” said Kenneth Johnson, D.O., executive dean of the Heritage College and chief medical affairs officer for Ohio University.

Nearly 400 students have graduated from the Dublin campus since it opened. More than half of them come from Franklin and surrounding counties, and nearly 40 percent of graduates stay in the region, matching into residency programs in Columbus.

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“Our goal has always been to take young men and young women from Central Ohio and keep them here on this campus for four years, give them a leg up on residencies in this community, and then ultimately, have them stay here and practice,” said Dublin Dean William Burke, D.O. (‘88). “Now we’re starting to see grads from the earliest years, coming back and starting their practices in Columbus and smaller communities around Columbus where they have trained. That mission, that goal, has truly been fulfilled.”

Teresa Caulin-Glaser, M.D., chief clinical officer and senior vice president of OhioHealth, echoed those comments, saying the partnership between OhioHealth and the college has opened tremendous opportunities for the health system and the college’s graduates.

“The graduates are not only working within Ohio,” she said, “but across the country, representing this medical school, this university in the best way you can.”

One of those graduates is Sam Nobilucci (‘18), who was one of the 50 students in the first Dublin class and served as the first Dublin class Student Government Association president. He is now an emergency medicine physician in Chillicothe, Ohio.

“Standing here ten years later, I think back to when I stood outside the MEB 1 building during the Dublin grand opening, and I spoke on behalf of my class of 50. At that time, I said that we intended to live up to your expectations, and that we intended to be the very best that we could be. Today, I can confidently state that we have fulfilled those intentions with your unwavering support,” said Nobilucci. “Looking ahead, I see this campus continuing to produce innovative, compassionate physicians who will truly transform health care.”

Increasing the number of physicians in Ohio and addressing the state’s shortage of primary care providers drove the expansion of the Heritage College. It was also a shared vision the college had with OHF and led to the transformational $105 million gift, said Terri Donlin Huesman, president and chief executive officer of OHF.

The Heritage College, Dublin was the college’s first additional campus since its founding in 1975 and the first new campus for Ohio University in almost 60 years. Over the past decade, the campus has expanded to include a new building for OHIO’s College of Health Sciences and Professions. In addition, the College of Business and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service have programs in Dublin.

“I am proud to say this is only the beginning,” said Dublin Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes. “We’ve continued to watch and applaud as the campus has extended, and we look forward to the many collaborations we have before us.”

Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez told attendees at the anniversary celebration that much is in store for the campus as the university rolls out its strategy for the future.

“We want our students engaged in the community. We want our faculty leading service in the community so that together we partner with the people of Ohio to make Ohio stronger and make the health of our state the number one priority,” said Gonzalez. “You’ll have my promise that this campus will remain vibrant and grow. It’s important to Dublin. It’s important to Ohio, and it’s certainly important to Ohio University.”