Sullivan 180, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and Greater Hudson Valley Health System Announce Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Program

The Sullivan 180 Scholarship Program will provide an annual award towards tuition in the final two years of a student’s enrollment at Touro. Touro’s scholarship committee will select one recipient each year on the basis of interest in Sullivan County clinical rotations and rural medicine in general, academic success and financial need.

The Sullivan 180 Loan Repayment Program will provide student loan reduction funds to GHVHS primary-care residents who either choose to rotate through the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris or who are nearing completion of their residency and transitioning to practice in Sullivan County. The number of residents assisted through the Loan Repayment Program will grow over time with one new resident selected each year.

According to the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the State University of New York, Albany, Sullivan County has the lowest rate of primary care physicians to population in New York State at 6.29 primary care providers per 10,000 individuals. Furthermore, Sullivan County is ranked 61st out of 62 New York counties in health outcomes.

As a result of significant student debt, medical school graduates are drawn to higher-paying specialties and away from medically underserved areas such as Sullivan County. The financial incentives announced today will address the ongoing shortage of primary care doctors in Sullivan County and help improve the county’s health care ranking.

“This partnership will begin to make a profound impact on primary-care access in Sullivan County,” said Sandra Gerry, Chair of the Board for Sullivan 180. “Coming together with Touro and GHVHS gives us the ability to assist future doctors throughout their medical education and provide the incentives they need to stay in our local community. Sullivan 180 was formed to help improve health outcomes in Sullivan County in conjunction with its partners, and nothing will bring us closer to that goal than increasing the numbers of local providers,” Mrs. Gerry added.

“We are excited to partner with Sandra Gerry and Sullivan 180. This scholarship will enable Sullivan county residents to pursue their dream of a medical career, and improve the health all Sullivan County residents,” said Kenneth Steier, DO, Touro College of Medicine Executive Dean and Middletown Founding Dean.

“We are grateful to our partners at Sullivan 180 for providing this opportunity to attract talented physicians to our area. The combined efforts of Sullivan 180, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Greater Hudson Valley Health System represent a tremendous opportunity for sustainable improvement of health in our community,” said Jonathan Schiller, Chief Executive Officer of the Catskill Regional Medical Center.

Sullivan 180

Through its mission of building a healthy and vibrant Sullivan County, Sullivan 180 brings to the table a broad cross-section of successful businesses and organizations throughout all sectors of the county: education, hospitality, agriculture, government, health care agencies, and other non-profit social service entities. In addition, Sullivan 180 strives to consolidate efforts to leverage existing funding and deploy its expertise to access new resources. For more information on Sullivan 180, please visit: www.sullivan180.org

The Greater Hudson Valley Health System

The Greater Hudson Valley Health System (GHVHS) is a New York State, not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Middletown, New York, approximately 60 miles northwest of New York City. It is currently the active parent company for two member hospitals, medical groups and a Foundation – Catskill Regional Medical Center, Orange Regional Medical Center, Catskill Regional Medical Group, Orange Regional Medical Group and the Orange Regional Medical Center Foundation. The GHVHS is dedicated to developing specialty services, medical programs and needed health care services that allow residents to remain close to home to receive quality care.

Providing health care to nearly 450,000 residents in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, the GHVHS was designed to improve the quality, stability and efficiency of healthcare services in the mid-Hudson and Catskill region. GHVHS provides services by more than 4,000 employed professionals and over 850 medical staff members and is recognized by Ethisphere as one of the 2019 and 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies. An academic affiliate of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, GHVHS retains compassionate professionals who continually strive toward the hospital’s mission to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional health care. To learn more about GHVHS, visit www.ormc.org/about-us/ghvhs.

The Touro College and University System

Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 19,200 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has 30 campuses and locations in New York, California, Nevada, Berlin, Jerusalem and Moscow. New York Medical College; Touro University California and Touro University Nevada; Touro University Worldwide and its Touro College Los Angeles division; as well as Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Ill. are separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, please go to: www.touro.edu/news