BUIES CREEK — The Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine celebrated another milestone Saturday when — for the first time — its students gathered together on campus for Accepted Students Day.
More than 100 of the 150 students who’ll make up the first medical school class (the Class of 2017) and their families met in the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business for a day of presentations and tours and for insight into what to expect when the school opens and classes begin this August. More importantly, it was a chance for the students to get to know one another, as they’ll be sharing the same classrooms, buildings and medical rotations over the next four years.
“We hope you come to love Campbell University, because we’re already loving you,” Campbell President Jerry Wallace told the students during the “welcome” portion of Saturday’s event. “We’re going to do everything we can to make you a success.”
A quarter of a mile away from the gathering in the business school, construction crews were hard at work on the insides of the 96,500-square-foot facility that will house up to 600 students when the school reaches full strength in four years. Approximately 15o students will graduate each year beginning with the Class of 2017, and many of those students will practice in rural and underserved regions of North Carolina.
Melissa Davies, a Fayetteville native and the first Campbell graduate accepted into the medical school, smiled when asked about her emotions on Saturday.
“Oh my … it’s really exciting,” she said. “This is not only a huge step for me, but for Campbell University. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
According to Dr. Dean Kauffman, founding dean of the medical school, of the first class of 150, 39 of the incoming students are from North Carolina. Florida and Virginia provide nine students apiece, while eight students come to Buies Creek from New Jersey. Pennsylvania and Michigan round out the Top 5 home states with seven students each.
Timothy and Daleen Downs’ son Patrick is one of the 39 from North Carolina. A graduate of Appalachian State, Patrick and his parents had a lot of questions about being part of the first class of a new program. But those questions were answered quickly when Patrick interviewed at Campbell.
“It comes down to trust when you’re making a big decision like this, and Campbell has a good history with new programs,” Daleen Downs said. “We have a family friend who attended Campbell’s law school in the early days. Another friend was part of the pharmacy school when it started. They had great experiences, and we know Patrick will have a great experience, too.”