MSOM
Meritus Health
MSOM

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine

Community is the MSOM Difference

Western Maryland's largest healthcare provider, with a 120-year legacy of providing community-based care, is proud to have launched the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine to train physicians who will be socially responsible, professionally accomplished, and community-oriented. 

Become a community-oriented physician.

Our goal is to educate great doctors who have experience engaging in the community. Click below to see the impact of the ways Meritus cares for its community. Medical students will have volunteer and research opportunities to participate in these initiatives and more.

Shape your medical future.

Benefit from hands-on learning and an expanding residency program at Meritus Health, preparing you for a successful medical career. 

 

Addressing Community Health Needs

Meritus Health has been doing community-based care for over 120 years. To us, this means living our mission every single day by engaging with the community to serve all of their health needs whatever it may take. For example, here are just some of the community-based initiatives we're doing today:

  • Giving free groceries to our neediest patients at our practice locations
  • Weekly conversations with patients who indicate they lack social companionship
  • Employing a fleet of vans and drivers so nobody misses an appointment due to lack of transportation 
  • Providing over $65M in community benefit including over $12M in free medical care

MSOM is taking that tradition of caring for the community and incorporating it into our curriculum. 

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"Our mission is to improve health in the region," explained Meritus Health President and CEO Maulik Joshi. "As an anchor organization for this community, it is our privilege and obligation to positively impact the lives of over 200,000 people in our region. The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine will do that. It will change the game for the health, education and economy for everyone."

The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine

supports a growing need

There is a growing shortage of physicians, and there are not enough new physicians being produced. Maryland is graduating fewer physicians, relative to population, than any other state.

124K

PHYSICIANS

National projected shortage of physicians by 2030

52

PHYSICIANS

Current Shortage in Washington County, Maryland

1 in 3

PHYSICIANS

is over the age of 60

Keep Up With Us

News & Updates

MSOM NEWS:MSOM dean named vice chairman of Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation
Sep 29, 2025

MSOM dean named vice chairman of Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation

Dr. Brian Kessler is also chief academic officer of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. The dean of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) was recently named the vice chairman of the commission that oversees accreditation standards and procedures for colleges of osteopathic medicine. Brian Kessler, D.O., FACOFP, was recently named to the position on the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), part of the American Osteopathic Association. “I am honored and privileged to hold this title on the commission recognized by U.S. Department of Education as the accreditor of colleges of osteopathic medicine,” Kessler said. “It is very meaningful to help oversee and guide the process of organizations dedicated to training future physicians in osteopathic medicine in our country.” COCA accreditation signifies that a college has met or exceeded the commission’s standards for educational quality. The American Osteopathic Association represents more than 197,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students across the United States. To learn more about COCA, visit osteopathic.org/accreditation. To learn more about MSOM, visit MSOM.org.

MSOM NEWS:Ribbon cut on Meritus Commons
Sep 23, 2025

Ribbon cut on Meritus Commons

Complex provides housing for students at Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. The housing complex for Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine students is officially open. Community leaders, elected officials and school supporters gathered Monday, Sept. 22, to cut the ribbon on the Meritus Commons complex, as well as to reveal the names of the buildings. “This is a naming ceremony as much as a ribbon-cutting,” said Dave Lehr, MSOM chief operating officer and Meritus Health chief strategy officer. “We are here to recognize the six people and organizations who have given their time, talent and treasure to make Meritus Commons and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine a reality.” Buildings in the complex will be named for: The Rev. Dr. Stuart Dunnan, chair of the MSOM board of directors The Alice Virginia and David W. Fletcher Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Howard “Blackie” Bowen Chintamaneni Choudari, M.D., a member of the MSOM board James Stojak, chair of the Meritus Health board of directors Middletown Valley Bank Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney were among the speakers at the event who noted the steps Meritus Health took to provide housing for its new students, given the limited housing resources in Washington County. “Here in Hagerstown, you go big or you go home,” Miller said. “And with this medical school and this student housing, Meritus is definitely going big.” They also remarked on how MSOM is addressing the need for more physicians in Maryland and across the country. “This is a model for the whole country,” Delaney said. “You are setting the example for how we are going to find more doctors for our rural communities.” In addition, there are benefits to MSOM students, such as on-campus housing that allows them to walk to the D.M. Bowman Academic Hall, physician practices in Robinwood Professional Center and Meritus Medical Center. The on-campus housing also means MSOM students are spending their money in Maryland and not neighboring states. But most importantly, the students will become part of a rural community and develop relationships that will result in them practicing in our community or another rural community in Maryland. The $90 million complex includes 340 one- and two-bedroom student apartments, a clubhouse, commons area, pickleball and basketball courts and dog park. There are almost 90 students living on campus. As has been noted by many, Maryland has a housing crisis characterized by the availability of affordable housing, and Meritus leaned in and built housing to support the medical students. The housing complex supports MSOM, which was created to help alleviate the shortage of physicians locally and nationally. The school welcomed its first class of more than 90 students this summer, and future classes at MSOM will number 180 students each. To learn more about Meritus Commons, visit https://commons.msom.org.

MSOM NEWS:Maryland Physicians Care supports Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine Scholarships
Sep 8, 2025

Maryland Physicians Care supports Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine Scholarships

MPC provided $624,000 grant to address critical physician shortage. Maryland Physicians Care (MPC) provided a grant to fund scholarships at the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. “MPC, a local Medicaid-managed care organization owned by Meritus Health, Ascension Saint Agnes, Holy Cross Health, and UPMC Western Maryland, gave $624,000 to the Washington County Chamber of Commerce to establish scholarships for six students,” said MPC President and CEO Jason Rottman. Each student will receive $26,000 per year for four years, totaling $104,000 each. “MPC recognizes the growing shortage of healthcare professionals in our state and actively seeks ways to alleviate that issue,” Rottman said. “This scholarship grant will financially assist in the education of six new doctors, directly adding resources to our healthcare community. We hope these new physicians will not only stay in Maryland but will choose to stay in the underserved rural community where they were trained.” MPC works to improve health outcomes by addressing the factors that impact its members’ well-being and providers’ effectiveness. Addressing rising physician shortages (predicted to reach 86,000 fewer physicians than needed nationally by 2036) is just one of the goals. MPC has also provided funding to many organizations throughout Maryland to addresses non-medical factors such as food insecurity, transportation and housing. This includes partnering to provide non-emergent medical transportation for patients in need, supplying food for needy families and, in several locations, delivering that food to those with limited transportation. To learn more about MSOM, visit msom.org. To learn more about MPC, visit marylandphysicianscare.com.

Help Us Reach Our Goal

We Need Your Support

By supporting the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, you are directly impacting the health of our region. We are thrilled to develop a customized giving plan to support what matters most to you.