JONESBORO, Ark. – The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services has appointed Brookshield Laurent, D.O., to serve on the Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (ACTPCMD).
Laurent, who is the associate dean of population and public health for New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State), was nominated by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and will serve a three-year term on the committee. AACOM is a national organization that represents and advocates for all osteopathic medical schools across the U.S.
The ACTPCMD provides advice and recommendations to the HHS Secretary concerning policy and program development and other matters of significance concerning medicine and dentistry activities. Additional activities include developing, implementing performance measures and recommending funding levels for certain federal programs. The Committee is made up of 14 members representing a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the medical and dental communities.
“We are very proud and excited to see the appointment of Dr. Laurent,” AACOM President and CEO Robert Cain, D.O., said. “It is critical that osteopathic medicine has a seat at the table where policy recommendations and program funding discussions that impact medical education and the medical profession are taking place. Dr. Laurent also brings a vital perspective from her work in rural and underserved communities and on health equity. She will be a great asset to the Committee and a strong representative for osteopathic medicine.”
Laurent has served as a faculty member at NYITCOM at A-State since its inception in 2016. In addition to leading the medical school’s population health and health education efforts, Laurent previously served as the chair of the department of clinical medicine and is a board-certified family medicine physician.
“Dr. Laurent is an absolutely perfect fit for this role, and our profession is very fortunate to have her serve in this capacity,” said Shane Speights, D.O., dean of NYITCOM at A-State. “Dr. Laurent’s passion for and commitment to public health are unmatched by any other physician I know, and she will thrive in this position.”
In 2019, Laurent founded NYITCOM’s Delta Population Health Institute (DPHI), which serves as the medical school’s community engagement arm. The DPHI leverages resources in education, research, policy and community engagement to bring about policy, system and environmental change through programs such as the Delta Care-A-Van mobile medical unit, the Community Champions of Health initiative, and the Delta Health Policy Fellowship.
“Our health care systems require integrated and holistic policy interventions that provide high quality, affordable, and equitable opportunities of health for all,” Laurent said. “I am honored to serve as an Osteopathic family medicine physician on the ACTPCMD Federal Advisory Board to contribute toward its great mission and advance health in this country.”
About NYITCOM at Arkansas State University: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, located on A-State’s Jonesboro campus, is dedicated to improving access to health care for the underserved and rural populations in Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta Region. Arkansas annually ranks near the bottom among states in overall population health status due to low health indicators including obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The state also ranks near the bottom of states in the number of active physicians per capita and in the number of primary care physicians. NYITCOM at A-State was established in 2016 with the mission of meeting the need for more physicians in this medically underserved area.
About AACOM: Founded in 1898, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) is the leading voice for the education and training of physicians who practice osteopathic medicine in settings across the medical spectrum—from primary care to the full range of medical specialties. We support our member colleges of osteopathic medicine in their efforts to attract and train individuals who are fueled by a desire to make a difference in our healthcare system by treating the whole person and building a future emphasizing health and wellness for all people. Today, more than 36,000 future physicians—25 percent of all U.S. medical students—are being educated at one of our 41 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine, encompassing 66 teaching locations in 35 states.
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