Mission Statement and History of KYCOM

Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KY-COM) is to provide men and women with an osteopathic medical education that emphasizes primary care, encourages research, promotes lifelong scholarly activity, and  produces graduates who are committed to serving the health care needs of communities in rural Kentucky and other Appalachian regions.

History
A group of influential businessmen and public officials began to investigate the possibility of establishing a medical school in Eastern Kentucky in the early 1990s. The supporters believed that creation of an osteopathic medical school was the best way to help alleviate the shortage of primary care physicians in rural Eastern Kentucky. Support of the development of an osteopathic medical school for this region arose from the fact that osteopathic physicians tend to stay in rural areas and in family practice. KYCOM enrolled its first students in 1997.