Ochsner Health and Xavier University of Louisiana — both based in New Orleans — have agreed to establish a joint medical college.
The two institutions plan to govern the college with a board of directors, with each appointing an equal number of leaders. The newly formed nonprofit corporation will use facilities, personnel and administrative processes of both entities, according to a Jan. 17 news release posted to Ochsner Health's website.
The partnership aims to build a physician pipeline and improve health and educational equity; Xavier University of Louisiana is a historically Black university.
"Our dedication to preparing more Black health care professionals in our fight against health inequity is our answer to the call of our nation’s critical need and makes their legacy proud," Reynold Verret, PhD, the university's president, said in the release.
Oschner and Xavier have been in partnership since the 1980s. They have worked together to offer more clinical training sites for Xavier's pharmacy students, improve health equity through new graduate programs and institutes, and craft a physician assistant program.