UNC names founding dean for College of Osteopathic Medicine

GREELEY — The University of Northern Colorado has found the first dean for its College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

It will be Dr. Beth Longenecker, the university said Tuesday.

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Longenecker join UNC as the founding dean of our new osteopathic medical college,” said UNC President Andy Feinstein in a prepared statement. “This is a monumental day for the university and our community. The experience, wisdom and insight Beth brings from serving in leadership positions at various colleges of osteopathic medicine will be very beneficial for us as we look to get our medical college off the ground and running. I want to thank everyone who participated in the search process for this position — we took our community’s feedback to heart and could not be more excited with the end result, to name Beth as our founding dean.”

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Longenecker has two decades of experience in medical higher education. She is the dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University, a position she has held for three years. Longenecker also had associate dean roles in the osteopathic medicine programs at Midwestern University and William Carey University. She began her career directing emergency medicine residency programs at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami and St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City.

Longenecker received her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Ohio University in 1991 and became board-certified in emergency medicine in 2000. 

As the founding dean of the UNC college, she will lead it through development, accreditation and program-building.

“I am thrilled to be joining the University of Northern Colorado in developing a new college of osteopathic medicine,” Longenecker said in a prepared statement. “It is evident that we have the support of regional partners such as Banner Health, fellow osteopathic physicians, members of the Greeley community and colleagues across the university. This sets the stage for us to create a program that will inform and empower the next generation of physicians, enabling them to join the team of health care professionals in serving the people of Colorado with empathy and compassion.” 

UNC has been moving full steam ahead on its osteopathic medical school since the college was approved by Gov. Jared Polis last month. The university applied for accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation in January. It expects to receive candidate status by summer 2023 and pre-accreditation status by spring 2024. 

If events proceed along that timeline, the college could accept its first class in fall 2025.