Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine

What Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine does

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) is a private Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program launched in July 2025 in Hagerstown, Maryland, as Maryland's first new nonmilitary medical school in over 100 years. The four-year program enrolls an inaugural Class of 2029 of more than 90 students, scaling to a planned 180 per cohort and 720 students at steady-state capacity. Curriculum combines a pre-clinical phase built on team-based learning, a four-semester research course, and a Simulation Center with a VR immersion room, followed by 20 clinical clerkships across affiliated hospitals in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia — anchored by parent Meritus Medical Center (327+ beds). Technology differentiators include mixed-reality virtual anatomy using holographic imaging (one of few DO schools to replace cadaver labs) and an AMA-funded precision education model using augmented intelligence to personalize instruction.

The institution is a wholly owned subsidiary of Meritus Health, a 120-year-old Western Maryland health system that anchors a 200,000-person regional service area. Revenue is generated almost entirely through tuition ($55,000-$56,100 per year), a $3,500-$4,500 comprehensive fee, and required on-campus housing at Meritus Commons, with a total Cost of Attendance of approximately $99,632 (2025/26) per student. MSOM is not yet Title IV eligible as of 2025/26 and students rely on private loans through FastChoice. The model is supplemented by philanthropic and grant funding, notably a $1.1M AMA grant over four years, a $400K CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield scholarship grant, and 15-17 named donor-funded scholarships. The go-to-market relies on AACOMAS centralized applications, eight undergraduate Pathways Program partnerships offering guaranteed interviews, campus tours, and virtual info sessions. The mission is explicitly to address a documented physician shortage (124,000 nationally by 2030; 52 current vacancies in Washington County) by training community-oriented physicians likely to remain within 100 miles of training.

Name

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine

Legal name

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine

Website

https://msom.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine is a private DO medical school in Hagerstown, Maryland, launched July 2025 as Maryland's first new nonmilitary medical school in over a century, training community-oriented physicians via a four-year program with holographic-imaging anatomy and precision AI-driven education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Education (Osteopathic Medicine)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Schools (MD/DO Granting) (EDAHAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Healthcare & Medical Licensure Exam Prep (USMLE/COMLEX, NCLEX, Dentistry, Pharmacy, PA) (EDANAIAA)

Keywords

• Osteopathic medical education
• Doctor of osteopathic medicine
• Medical school training
• Physician workforce development
• Graduate medical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hagerstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Medical Education Tuition and Fees: Revenue from tuition ($55,000-$56,100/year) and comprehensive fees ($3,500-$4,500/year) for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree program. Additional fees for health insurance, housing, and other services.
2. Grants and Philanthropic Funding: Research and programmatic grants from organizations such as American Medical Association ($1.1M over 4 years), CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield ($400,000), and other healthcare partners for scholarships and program development.
3. Scholarship Programs: Various scholarship programs funded by donors including Meritus Health, CareFirst, Maryland Physicians Care, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and individual physicians to support student education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine delivers a four-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program that trains community-oriented physicians through a pre-clinical phase (team-based learning, virtual anatomy with holographic imaging, simulation center with VR, embedded COMLEX board prep) and a clinical phase (20 clerkships across affiliated hospitals in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia). It is the first new nonmilitary medical school in Maryland in over 100 years and operates as a strategic initiative of Meritus Health.

Product overview

Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) offers a single Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program - a four-year medical education program that is Maryland's first new nonmilitary medical school in over a century. The program comprises a pre-clinical phase (Years 1-2) with team-based learning, integrated systems courses, virtual anatomy with holographic imaging, and embedded board preparation using TrueLearn COMBANK and Scholar RX; a clinical phase (Years 3-4) with 20 clerkships at affiliated hospitals; and integrated components including nutrition education (Food Farmacy), research curriculum, and financial literacy. Student support services include learning specialists, wellness resources, on-campus housing at Meritus Commons, and scholarship programs. The institution launched its inaugural class in July 2025 and received COCA pre-accreditation in August 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Degree Program Four-year medical degree program training osteopathic physicians. Includes a pre-clinical phase (Years 1-2) with systems-based curriculum, team-based learning, virtual anatomy with holographic imaging, clinical skills, and osteopathic manipulative medicine, and a clinical phase (Years 3-4) with 20 clerkships across affiliated hospitals in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia focused on underserved communities. Designed for aspiring physicians, particularly those interested in community-oriented care.
• Pathways Program Guaranteed-interview admissions pathway for qualified students and alumni of eight partner undergraduate institutions: Bucknell University, Frostburg State University, Gettysburg College, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Samuel Merritt University, Shepherd University, Susquehanna University, and University of Maryland. Offers pre-admission events and a defined route into the DO program.
• Meritus Commons Student Housing On-campus housing complex adjacent to the MSOM campus at 11120 Health Drive, Hagerstown, Maryland, offering one- and two-bedroom units for medical students. Students are expected to live on campus for the first two years of the program.
• MSOM Scholarship Programs Multiple donor-funded scholarship opportunities for MSOM students, including the Meritus Health Scholars Program ($25,000/year for four years), CareFirst Scholarship (four students at $25,000/year), Maryland Physicians Care Scholarships (ten students, $10,000 to full tuition), Path to Care Scholarship ($25,000/year), Chamber of Commerce Scholarship ($26,000/year), and the Meritus Auxiliary Regional Scholars Program ($55,000/year for four years).

Quantifiable outcome

• Students from MSOM tend to set up practice within 100 miles of where they've trained
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• U.S. Health and Human ServicesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026MSOM joined more than 50 medical schools across 31 states in a HHS partnership to teach nutrition education. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the partnership to require every medical student to complete at least 40 hours of comprehensive nutrition education before graduating. MSOM already weaves nutrition education throughout its medical training.
• American Medical Association (AMA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026MSOM selected as one of 11 teams nationwide to receive $1.1 million over four years through AMA's Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant Program. The partnership focuses on personalized learning using data, technology, and augmented intelligence to tailor instruction for medical students and physicians. MSOM is the only school of osteopathic medicine among the awardees.
• Meritus Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeritus Medical Center (327+ beds, Joint Commission-accredited) serves as primary clinical training site. It has trained residents and nurses, and over 1,000 health professions students annually. Students collaborate with the hospital for clinical rotations and training.
• Meritus Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcute care hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland with more than 300 beds. Services include special care nursery, Level III trauma program, primary stroke center, wound center, and cardiac diagnostic laboratory. Features advanced technologies including 3T MRI, daVinci and ROSA surgical robots.
• Atlantic General HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent not-for-profit health system with 62-bed hospital and network of 40+ primary care providers and specialists across 17 locations. Recognized as top 100 rural and community hospital in 2021 and 2022 by Chartis Group, and Most Wired hospital for six consecutive years.
• Carroll HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner168-bed nonprofit hospital serving Carroll County for over five decades. Known for highest quality care with warmth and compassion. Part of LifeBridge Health since 2015 with expanded cardiovascular, women's health, and pediatric services.
• UPMC Western MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner165-bed hospital in Cumberland, Maryland providing healthcare for Allegany and Garrett Counties and surrounding areas in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Part of UPMC system. Recognized in 2024 as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery, Cardiac Surgery Excellence, and other awards.
• VA MartinsburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA Healthcare System with 475-bed Level 1C facility serving over 70,000 Veterans in 22 counties across western Maryland, south central Pennsylvania, northwest Virginia, and West Virginia. Approximately 2,000 admissions and nearly 400,000 outpatient visits annually.
• Johns Hopkins Community PhysiciansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Johns Hopkins Community Physicians group providing family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and pediatric cardiology services in Hagerstown and Washington County with 14+ providers.
• GBMC (Greater Baltimore Medical Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded 1965, GBMC HealthCare combines community and university-level medicine. Main campus in Towson with three medical office buildings. GBMC Health Partners includes 300+ primary care providers and specialists with extended hours.
• Tidal HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes Salisbury and Wicomico County community with approximately 300-bed hospital serving nearly 500,000 patients annually in multiple specialties. Nearly 2,000 babies born annually, approximately 3,300 employees.
• Calvert HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrusted pillar of good health in Southern Maryland for over a century. Medical center and outpatient practices with dedication to excellence and innovative treatments through state-of-the-art facilities.
• Brook LaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit mental health facility with 500+ employees in four locations. Main campus home to 58-bed hospital (second largest private mental health inpatient facility in Maryland), partial hospitalization programs, and special education school.
• Fulton County Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPennsylvania non-profit with 21-bed critical access hospital, Level IV trauma center, and 67-bed skilled nursing care facility. Founded 1949 in McConnellsburg, PA with nearly 100 physicians on active medical staff.
• Keystone HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded 1986, the only federally-qualified Community Health Center serving Franklin County, Pennsylvania. 540+ employees, sees over 59,000 patients annually, originally founded to serve migrant agricultural workers.
• Bucknell UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• Frostburg State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• Gettysburg CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• Harrisburg University of Science and TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• Samuel Merritt UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• Shepherd UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• Susquehanna UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.
• University of MarylandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathways Program partner institution offering guaranteed interview for MSOM DO program to qualified students and alumni.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: Top-ranked MD-granting medical school in Baltimore. While MSOM has clinical partnership with Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, the parent institution represents the gold-standard competitor for high-achieving Maryland applicants.
• University of Maryland School of Medicine: The state's flagship MD-granting medical school in Baltimore. Represents the dominant incumbent in Maryland medical education against which MSOM competes for in-state applicants and clinical rotation slots.

Regional players

• West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM): Public osteopathic medical school in Lewisburg, WV, with strong rural medicine focus. Operates in the same tri-state region (MD/PA/WV) as MSOM and shares the community-oriented physician training mission for Appalachian communities.

Direct peers

• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM): One of the largest and oldest osteopathic medical schools in the U.S., offering the DO degree with multiple campuses. Represents the established DO school benchmark against which MSOM will compete for applicants and faculty.
• Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU-COM): Private osteopathic medical school in Indianapolis, Indiana. Comparable as a faith-based DO school with community health mission and similar technology investments in simulation-based education.
• Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine: Private osteopathic medical school in New Mexico where MSOM's Associate Dean of Academic Affairs previously helped establish the institution. Directly comparable as a recently launched DO-granting school with similar growth trajectory and community-focused mission.
• Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine: Large private osteopathic medical school with multiple campuses across New York, California, and Nevada. Directly comparable as a multi-campus DO-granting institution serving diverse student populations.
• Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM): Private osteopathic medical school in Lynchburg, Virginia with similar Christian-affiliated community-focused mission. Comparable as a newer DO school (founded 2014) that has built out its cohorts and clinical partnerships.
• California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine: New osteopathic medical school in Clovis, California where MSOM's Associate Dean of Academic Affairs previously played a vital founding role. Directly comparable as a start-up DO school building initial cohorts and seeking accreditation.

Others

• American Medical Association (AMA): National physician membership organization and current $1.1M grant funder of MSOM. Listed as a peer given its role as the convener of the precision education consortium and as an ecosystem enabler shaping osteopathic medical education standards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MeritusSchoolofOsteopathicMedicine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meritus-school-of-osteopathic-medicine

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine