On Monday, St. Clair Health announced a long-term agreement with Duquesne University to train the next generation of physicians in Southwestern Pennsylvania. This partnership is not only a collective investment in undergraduate medical education but also the region’s future. It comes at a critical time, when demand for health care only continues to intensify amid a shortage of physicians that is expected to continue for decades.
“Increasing the number of physicians in our health system and region has long been a top priority for St. Clair Health. The growing shortage of physicians, coupled with the aging population and global pandemic, accelerated the need for swift action,” says Amy Bunger, PhD, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at St. Clair Health. “Two organizations with distinct Pittsburgh identities that contribute to the local community in a similar way are joining forces to take action now, so together, we can cooperatively champion our region’s future healthcare providers.”
St. Clair Health will become a primary clinical training site for medical students attending the Duquesne University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DU-COM) beginning in 2026, when the first DU-COM class will be eligible to complete the clinical portion of their training during their third and fourth years of medical school. Clinical rotations offered at St. Clair Health will include internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, family medicine, psychiatry, emergency medicine, and geriatrics.
“Duquesne’s commitment to medical excellence and promoting health equity in the region has a wonderful legacy,” said Dr. David Dausey, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Duquesne University. “We are pleased to partner with St. Clair Health to provide our students with important experiential learning experiences that will further enhance the region’s health care expertise and workforce in the future.”
This partnership will ensure future physicians across a range of specialties are prepared to meet the health care needs of the region’s population for years to come. It should also encourage these physicians to choose to practice with St. Clair Health or other Southwestern Pennsylvania health systems. The more resources that organizations like St. Clair Health and Duquesne University devote to physician training and development today, the more ready and willing these future healthcare providers will be to face the challenges of tomorrow in this region.
About St. Clair Health
St. Clair Health is a nationally recognized, integrated health system with more than 2,500 employees and 600 physicians serving 500,000 residents of the region. It encompasses St. Clair Hospital; St. Clair Medical Group—a 135-physician multispecialty group; St. Clair Health Foundation; and other related entities. In 2016, St. Clair Health became a member of Mayo Clinic Care Network. As a leader in high value healthcare, it participates with all major insurers. For more information, visit: stclair.org.
About Duquesne University
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation’s top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 8,500 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University’s academic programs, community service, and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.
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