News and Events

This is the first dual-degree offering for the College in partnership with Aurora University, located in Aurora, Illinois. The new DO program will be the fifth pathway offered with Midwestern University, which is located in Downers Grove, Illinois.

 “Our latest pathway programs are really exciting as they expand opportunities for our students to pursue an even more diverse profile of health care related fields,” said Dr. Shubhik DebBurman, Senior Director for Science Partnerships, Health Professions Program Chair, and Disque D. and Carol Gram Deane Professor of Biological Sciences at Lake Forest College.

According to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), osteopathic physicians are one of the fastest-growing segments of healthcare professionals in the United States. Currently, there are approximately 114,000 osteopathic physicians in active medical practice. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine are projected to represent more than 20 percent of the total US physician population by 2030.

Midwestern’s four-year osteopathic doctoral program consists of the first two years covering primarily didactic instruction, followed by two years of primarily clinical rotations, including applicable didactic material. Upon graduation with the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, CCOM graduates are eligible for postdoctoral residency training in all fields of medicine. The DO program has a 94 percent graduation rate, 98 percent residency placement rate, and 92 to 99 percent pass rate on the national boards, according to the Midwestern University website. 

“Midwestern has been a destination institution for our students for many programs including dentistry, optometry, and PA, but their most popular program with our students is DO. Every year, our students head to this program, preferring it over others. I am very excited about the availability of this new pathway and what it means for our physician aspirants," said DebBurman.

 Aurora’s two-year athletic training program emphasizes evidence-based practice and inter-professional education while providing access to a state-of-the-art training lab.

“Aurora University MSAT is one of four professional programs in the country to offer a specific and unique structure to their curricular offerings. Each traditional 16-week semester is divided into classroom-only and clinical-only sections, allowing for better attention to be paid to each aspect of their education,” said Dr. Ashley M. Harris, Graduate Director of Athletic Training at Aurora University.

The University’s MSAT program is designed to fulfill Board of Certification examination eligibility and Illinois state licensing requirements necessary to practice in the state of Illinois. According to Aurora University’s website, students have worked at clinical sites such as Lurie Children’s Hospital and Advocate Medical Group, while graduates of the program have gone on to work at Northwestern University, the Chicago Cubs, ATI Physical Therapy, and more.

“The liberal arts foundation that students receive at Lake Forest is a fundamental skillset that athletic trainers need to have to be successful. Athletic trainers must constantly think on their feet. They are skilled in the prevention, care, assessment, diagnosis, and therapeutic treatment of athletic injuries. This core undergraduate education coupled with the MSAT program at Aurora University will help students successfully transition into the workforce and become industry leaders,” said Nicki Pieart, Lake Forest College Athletic Director 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of athletic trainers is projected to grow 17 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 2,500 openings for athletic trainers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.