INDIANA COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — A new partnership between the state and Indiana University of Pennsylvania is aimed at training more doctors for rural communities across the commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine have signed an agreement to train future physicians at Clarks Summit State Hospital.
Officials said the program will give medical students hands-on experience in behavioral health while addressing a shortage of health care workers in rural and underserved areas.
IUP’s new medical school is expected to welcome its first class in 2027.
Leaders said training students in rural communities increases the chances they’ll return to practice there after graduation.