IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine Founding Dean Featured on National Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Podcast

Miko Rose, founding dean of Indiana University of Pennsylvania's College of Osteopathic Medicine, is featured on D.O. or Do Not: The Osteopathic Physician's Journey for Premed & Medical Students.

Rose is interviewed on episode 170, "Is it Crazy to Start a New DO School in Pennsylvania? To Call the School Indiana University? This Psychiatrist Begs to Differ!"

In the episode, Rose discusses the importance of the school and why it is so impressive that it will be one of the few osteopathic schools at state universities, why it is so vital to fill the underserved primary care need, and what the school plans to accomplish.

She also discusses growing up in an indigent family and how she discovered osteopathic medicine, ultimately training as a psychiatrist.

The podcast is hosted by Ian Storch, managing partner of Gastroenterology Consultants of Long Island, and Tianyu She from New York University Long Island School of Medicine. The podcast includes interviews with osteopathic physicians on how their trials and tribulations got them to where they are. It is geared toward osteopathic medicine students but is intended for all healthcare students, pre-medical students, practicing physicians, and anyone interested in medicine.

IUP's College of Osteopathic Medicine holds pre-accreditation status from the American Osteopathic Association's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and is actively recruiting and admitting students to its College of Osteopathic Medicine to begin medical instruction within the approved osteopathic medical curriculum. The first class of students is anticipated to enter in fall 2027.

IUP's College of Osteopathic Medicine has as its mission to serve rural communities; affordability; and clinical opportunities throughout all four years of medical education at IUP. IUP currently has 290 percent of the required clinical training affiliation agreement spots, all at rural healthcare providers, that are required for accreditation.

There are only three colleges of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania, all at private universities; IUP's College of Osteopathic Medicine is the only college of osteopathic medicine at a public university.

Following a national search, Miko Rose, a board-certified physician in psychiatry and neurology who is nationally known for her wellness programming, was selected in November 2023 as the founding dean for IUP's College of Osteopathic Medicine.

She came to IUP from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she was associate professor and chief of the Division of Psychiatry in the Department of Clinical Medicine and assistant dean for Clinical Education, and from her work as an associate professor and program director of the Joy Initiative Wellness Program at Michigan State University.

Rose is an elected fellow of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists by the Fellows of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists/American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists. In 2019 and again in 2024, Rose received an award as one of the top medical educators in the country, the National American Osteopathic Medical Educator Fellowship Teaching award, which is a five-year fellowship. She has also been recognized by City & State Pennsylvania as a Trailblazer in Healthcare and one of the state's "50 over 50" honorees.

She has been an invited presenter for international and state healthcare conferences and programs, including events coordinated by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the American College of Neuropsychiatrists/American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists; the Appalachian Regional Commission; the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

She is a member of the editorial board and a frequent contributor to The DO, published by the American Osteopathic Association. Rose is currently leading an initiative with the Center for Rural Pennsylvania to determine commonalities of physicians who commit to and stay in rural health care practice through a survey of commonwealth physicians.

As a physician and educator, she has spent more than a decade focusing on helping future physicians develop the unique skills they need to be caring and empathetic medical providers. She developed the first formal classes in medical schools in the nation on happiness and joy while a professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine schools; these classes were the origin for her development of the Joy Initiative there. She expanded the Joy Initiative curriculum to provide training for peak performance for team coaches, trainers, and student athletes. This training has become formal coursework for credit, embedded into the core curriculum for medical students' wellness and well-being requirements.

She began her career as a program officer, fundraiser, and advocate for the underserved, including helping people working to overcome domestic violence and trauma in communities throughout the United States and Central America.

She is a graduate of Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University (medical training), and Wellesley College (BA in psychology).

Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP's Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the commonwealth.