Our History

“PCSOM is proudly committed to providing the Appalachian region with highly trained, competent, confident and patient-friendly primary care osteopathic physicians.” – John A. Strosnider, D.O., founding dean

A group of community leaders began to investigate the possibility of establishing a medical school in Eastern Kentucky in the early 1990s. Those involved believed that the creation of an osteopathic medical school would be 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 the region arose from the fact that osteopathic physicians tend to stay in rural areas and practice primary care.

In 1997, vision became a reality when the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine (PCSOM) enrolled its first class of 60 students in 1997. The incoming class size grew to 75 in 2008. In 2011, PCSOM’s name changed to the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM). The Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation granted approval for KYCOM to increase the size of the class entering in 2012 to 135 students, and KYCOM moved into a newly-constructed, state-of-the-art facility (Coal Building) in 2012.

Commitment to Rural Medicine

KYCOM offers a four-year program toward attainment of the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). The school’s purpose is to educate future primary care physicians to practice in rural Kentucky and other underserved areas. KYCOM continues to receive national recognition for its commitment to educating osteopathic physicians who practice in rural areas that are medically underserved, particularly within Kentucky.