Xavier University of Louisiana to Launch the Country’s Fifth Historically Black Medical School

Historically Black Xavier University of Louisiana has announced plans to establish its own medical school. Once official accreditation approval is granted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission, the new Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will become the fifth medical school in the United States at a historically Black college or university. The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine stems from a long-time partnership with Xavier University and Ochsner Health, a medical training center for physicians in the Gulf South. The two institutions began collaborating in the 1980s at the university’s College of Pharmacy, and have since worked together to create a physician assistant program, new health science graduate programs, and the Ochsner Health and Xavier University Institute for Health Equity and Research. Housed in downtown New Orleans, the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine aims to eliminate healthcare disparities among underrepresented populations and train the next generation of physicians who will better reflect the communities they serve. The medical school will acquire state-of-the-art medical technology and facilities, providing students with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. The college’s curriculum will have a particular focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, clinical proficiency, and patient care, while training its students to champion inclusivity and excellence...