Brad Hall, Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) chief medical and strategic partnerships officer, has been welcomed into the second cohort of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Development Fellowship, a program of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) in partnership with the University of North Carolina Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Hall is one of 26 fellows selected from colleges of osteopathic medicine (COM), proposed COMs, state agencies, clinical partners and health systems.

“Our primary goal with EKU’s proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine is to recruit, educate and retain physicians in rural Kentucky,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “Brad’s involvement in this fellowship plays an important role in strengthening the partnerships and expertise needed to make that goal a reality. Brad has worked in the healthcare sector for nearly 30 years, and we’re excited to have him a part of this team and helping lead the initiative for EKU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.”

The GME Development Fellowship is a 10-month interactive program that develops leaders in graduate medical education. Through the AACOM and Sheps Center partnership, fellows engage in GME development strategies, collaborate with national experts and design capstone projects with mentors aimed at strengthening GME opportunities at their institutions. 

“AACOM is proud to welcome this new class of fellows,” said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. “The continued growth of the osteopathic profession depends on our ability to expand GME opportunities across the country. Our inaugural cohort helped strengthen GME infrastructure in rural and community-based settings, and this new class will build on that progress to further address healthcare access and workforce needs.”

EKU announced plans for a proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2024, and a feasibility study from the Kentucky Council On Postsecondary Education confirmed the need for an additional medical school in Kentucky. According to the Kentucky Physician Report from the Center of Excellence in Rural Health, 94% of the state’s counties face a primary care shortage. EKU’s next steps in establishing its proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine is to secure escrow funding for program accreditation and support for its Center for Health Innovation, which will provide interdisciplinary training to prepare future physicians for the Commonwealth’s healthcare needs.