My Dream is to be a doctor. My Decision was Ohio State.

Do you have a passion for living and caring for patients in rural and smaller communities?

Ohio State’s Community Medicine MD Track (CMT) is an MD program designed for students who have a firm commitment to practicing medicine in rural communities or smaller cities, with the goal of preparing more physicians to practice in these areas. The track will not only address the clinical issues relevant to caring for patients in rural and smaller communities, but will also provide extra emphasis on leadership development and community engagement.

Dr. Hoblit talking with nurse in the hospital

“My experience at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center has really shaped me into becoming the best community doctor I can be. The combination of the excellence at Ohio State, with the exposure to rural and community medicine, sets me up for success in my future practice.”

Ashley Hoblit, MD
Family Medicine Resident at Mercy Health –
St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, Ohio

Developing physicians to transform the health of all communities

Top-tier medical education combined with community care expertise

You will receive your foundational medical education in your first two years at our Columbus campus and then transition to Lima, Ohio for your third and fourth years. There, you will gain in-depth community medicine clinical experience at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s, which provides comprehensive services that span the entire continuum of health care for the northwest Ohio region.

Pursue any area of specialty

This program does not limit you to a specialty; you can go on to pursue any area of medicine with the end goal of taking your talents into underserved rural communities or small cities.

Interprofessional education

You will learn in an interprofessional team-based environment at St. Rita's, where you’ll work alongside clinicians of pharmacy, nursing, therapy, social work and behavioral health. This allows you to gain a holistic perspective of the value each discipline offers to health care and how team-based collaborative care is especially beneficial in a community medicine environment.

Leadership development

This track will not only address the clinical issues relevant to caring for patients but will also provide extra emphasis on leadership development, local public health initiatives and community engagement.

Learn more about the Community Medicine MD Track

Ashley Hoblit, MD, is a recent Ohio State College of Medicine alum who is now a resident physician practicing family and community medicine in Lima, Ohio, at St. Rita’s. Here she shares her experiences and reasons why the CMT is positioned to successfully prepare students to pursue a fulfilling career in community medicine.

Why community medicine is important to Ashley Hoblit, MD

I am a family medicine resident at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, Ohio. My experience as a medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and my experience as a resident at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center have really shaped me into becoming the best community doctor I could be. The combination of the excellence at Ohio State with the exposure to rural and community medicine sets me up for success in my future practice.

A lot of people go into medicine because they want to provide care to an underserved community. Rural health care sometimes gets left out of that. This will be a unique program that provides comprehensive training and exposes learners to what community medicine really means.

Having access to Ohio State, the research facility and all the wisdom of faculty – all those minds teaching you all their experiences – plus the rural health exposure, will set you up for success as a community medicine doctor.

Mercy Health serves a wide population of multiple counties in Ohio, so when patients need a cardiologist, the cardiologist is here; when they need a stent placed, that stent is going to be placed here. Having a close working relationship with health care professionals across a variety of specialties builds a unique trust with patients.

Having a provider who can navigate all of the care you need at any time in your life is really essential, especially in a rural environment.

I know I made the right decision coming to Ohio State and St. Rita’s. I know that I can be that person who is available, and ready to treat any person or any condition that comes in the door. I have had the opportunity to perform a variety of procedures and treatments that specialists would usually perform. In addition, my connections with physicians in different specialties create stronger relationships and trust with patients.

Carol R. Bradford, Ohio State University College of Medicine Dean

“The Community Medicine MD Track provides a new option for medical students who are interested in practicing medicine in a community setting. In addition to educating learners to provide high-quality, safe and compassionate patient care, there will be an emphasis on developing students to be engaged leaders in the communities where they serve.”

Carol R. Bradford, MD, MS
Dean of The Ohio State University College of Medicine

“You will receive a medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, one of the top medical schools in the country, which has earned a reputation of success in training the most innovative, diverse and sought-after health sciences professionals. We will continue to lead and evolve to meet ever-changing demands in medicine and patient care.”

Daniel Clinchot, MD
Vice Dean for Education, The Ohio State University College of Medicine

“The Community Medicine MD Track will give students the opportunity to gain unique hands-on experiences, increased one-on-one interactions with precepting physicians and develop close-knit relationships with health care professionals across the hospital system.”

JJ Sreenan, MD
Community Medicine MD Track Program Director

Mercy Health and Ohio State partnership

Ohio State’s Community Medicine MD Track is made possible by the Healthy State Alliance, which leverages the innovative medical education of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the community care expertise of Bon Secours Mercy Health.

Learn more about the Healthy State Alliance

Why choose The Ohio State University College of Medicine?

Highly ranked top-tier education Ohio State students are consistently prepared for Step exams and match in some of the most prestigious residency programs across the nation.

At Ohio State, you will receive a highly respected education from world-renowned faculty who are recognized across the nation. Since 2002, Ohio State medical students have received Step 1 and Step 2 pass rates equal to or above the national average. And with an average match rate of more than 95% each year, our graduates match in some of the most prestigious residency programs in the nation. Residency director surveys show that our graduates are some of the best prepared in their programs.

Learn more about our curriculum
Join an unsurpassed community of support Our students agree that what makes Ohio State great is the dedicated people who surround and support them.

Ohio State is home to some of the most welcoming, supportive and caring people who are all committed to helping you reach your full potential. With several community service opportunities and more than 50 student organizations, you will be able to pursue your passions and discover new ones.

Learn more about student organizations and involvement
Out-of-state friendly About half of our incoming classes are out-of-state students who have the opportunity to gain in-state residency after their first year.
Major components of Ohio residency for in-state tuition include:
- Physical presence in Ohio
- Contribution to Ohio Taxes
- Eligibility to remain in the United States on a permanent basis
If you choose not to establish Ohio residency, in an effort to lower student loan debt, the College of Medicine has reduced the out-of-state surcharge for third- and fourth-year medical students.

Learn more about the cost of attending Ohio State
We are diverse by design Our commitment to diversity and inclusion can be seen every day in the collaboration between students, faculty and staff on our campus.

We believe the physicians we train should be as diverse as the communities they serve. Diversity and inclusion are present in everything we do, starting with our history of diversifying classes to include more women and underrepresented in medicine students and our strides in diversifying our leadership team.

Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion
Experience the vibrant city of Columbus Whatever your lifestyle — a warm and welcoming academic community, a picturesque campus or a vibrant city — it’s all within reach.

Combine a lower cost of living with a thriving health care landscape creates a perfect environment for medical students or any healthcare professional. Columbus boasts four world-renowned, award-winning healthcare systems, including The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Learn more about living in Columbus, OH

MD Programs we offer

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Evans Osuji

Traditional MD Program: Evans explains how Ohio State’s inclusive and collaborative learning environment is preparing him to treat the needs of diverse communities.

Selena Taha

Three-Year Primary Care Track: Medical student Selena shares why she chose Ohio State’s three-year primary care program as it is uniquely positioned to prepare students to enter the field of family medicine.

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