Benedictine’s new medical school takes step forward
Benedictine College’s proposed School of Osteopathic Medicine in Atchison, Kansas, has received Candidate Status from accreditors, a key step toward opening. The school’s next goal is Pre-Accreditation Status, which would allow it to begin recruiting students. Its founders aim to help address a projected U.S. shortage of 141,160 physicians by 2038, especially in rural areas, while preparing doctors to serve underserved communities. The school also emphasizes compassionate, personal care, arguing that patients often feel rushed and that AI cannot replace the human insight of physicians.
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Benedictine College’s proposed School of Osteopathic Medicine in Atchison, Kansas, has received Candidate Status from accreditors, a milestone toward opening. The school says it aims to train more physicians—particularly physicians committed to patient-centered care, service to underserved communities, and Catholic teaching. 1
Founding Dean Marla Golden said the school’s next goal is Pre-Accreditation Status. According to the article, reaching that stage would allow the program to recruit students and move beyond its proposed status. 1
Golden described the school’s goal as forming physicians who treat caring for underserved patients as a vocation of service. Associate Dean Kevin Tulipana said the program is intended to prepare doctors who understand medicine as serving patients, not merely providing technical care. 1
The article presents the school’s plans against concerns about physician shortages and patients’ experiences of rushed or impersonal care. It cites a Health Resources and Services Administration projection of a U.S. shortfall of 141,160 physicians by 2038, with rural areas expected to be especially affected, and a 2024 survey in which more than half of respondents said healthcare made them feel like a number. 1
Golden said the school will teach students to “encounter others,” while the article also argues that human physicians notice contextual details about patients that data alone may not capture. 1
The article also frames the proposed school as an alternative to what it describes as ideological pressures in medical education. Neurosurgeon Paul Camarata, a Benedictine College board member, said some religious medical students feel they must conceal their beliefs; the article cites studies and commentary concerning political activism and medical-school curricula. 1
Benedictine College says Catholic bioethics will be integrated throughout the curriculum rather than confined to a single course. The article identifies faculty members Mariele Courtois and John Rziha as resources in Catholic bioethics and theology, and quotes College President Stephen Minnis describing the goal as an academically excellent school that is faithfully Catholic. 1*
Medical education should form physicians for compassionate, equitable care
Catholic teaching supports the claim that medical education should form physicians not only to diagnose and treat disease, but to care for persons with compassion, respect, and attention to their full human needs. Equitable care follows from recognizing each patient’s dignity and refusing to let prejudice or social disadvantage determine whether someone receives attentive treatment.
Formation should unite scientific competence with the “ideal of service” and compassion for people in need. The Good Samaritan offers a practical model: approach patients personally, listen to their stories, and respond to suffering without prejudice or self-interest. Compassion is not merely pity; it means drawing near and “suffer[ing] with” the patient.
This formation should also address patients’ psychological and spiritual needs alongside physical care, including during serious illness and at the end of life. Catholic guidance calls for such assistance to be part of academic preparation and clinical training, and highlights palliative care as a way to accompany people with dignity.
Equity is more than treating everyone identically: it requires recognizing the unique dignity of each person and confronting disparities that leave some people without needed care. Pope Francis described compassion as a path toward justice, because it helps us encounter others’ difficulties and overcome disparities; he also stressed that access to essential therapies must be balanced with economic realities.
Finally, compassionate care requires caring for caregivers. Training and healthcare institutions should prepare physicians for the emotional and moral weight of their work and provide support so that they can continue serving patients well.