ChristianaCare, Bayhealth and PCOM announce collaboration

To expand undergraduate medical education and attract more physicians to practice in central and southern Delaware, ChristianaCare, Bayhealth and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine have partnered to establish the Delaware Collaborative Clinical Campus.

For decades, ChristianaCare has maintained a longstanding collaboration with PCOM, where students have trained at ChristianaCare facilities in New Castle County. The new Collaborative Clinical Campus builds on that foundation, bringing Bayhealth into a coordinated statewide training model of high-quality clinical rotations and academic mentorship.

Through this program, beginning in July 2026, five third-year PCOM medical students will complete clinical rotations in Kent and Sussex counties, gaining experience at both Bayhealth and ChristianaCare. These new students in Delaware will be in addition to the 55 already training in the Delaware Branch Campus at ChristianaCare.

“The partnership with PCOM and ChristianaCare expands the scope and number of medical students trained in Delaware, and ultimately enhances our ability to recruit and retain new physicians that are committed to work in Kent and Sussex counties,” said Gary Siegelman, MD, MSc, CPE, designated institutional official for Bayhealth Medical Center. “By providing PCOM students with immersive, hands-on clinical rotations in our communities, we’re not only offering them outstanding training in diverse real-world settings but also building stronger connections that encourage them to establish their practices right here in Delaware. This directly addresses our workforce needs in underserved areas and enhances access to high-quality care for the patients we serve every day.”

“PCOM’s mission has always centered on educating the next generation of osteopathic physicians to be community-minded individuals who serve where the need is greatest,” said Jay S. Feldstein, DO, president and CEO of PCOM. “By combining our commitment to compassionate, hands-on education with Delaware’s deep-rooted networks of care, we’re preparing future clinicians to meet people where they are – with excellence, empathy and a shared purpose to improve patient care in Delaware.”

The Delaware Collaborative Clinical Campus will not only strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce pipeline but also improve access to care for people in medically underserved areas where there are persistent shortages of primary care, dental and mental health resources.

“We are incredibly excited about this partnership among three organizations that are already doing amazing work in medical education – now joining together to tackle the real challenges with recruiting and retaining physicians in smaller communities throughout Delaware,” said Brian Levine, MD, chief academic officer and designated institutional official for ChristianaCare. “For students, these rotations will provide an exceptional variety of clinical experiences and expert faculty who will help to prepare them for the next phase of their education, which is residency – hopefully right here in Delaware.”

Students will complete core clinical rotations at Bayhealth and ChristianaCare primarily in Kent and Sussex counties, with additional opportunities at ChristianaCare facilities in New Castle County. Training will span a broad range of clinical settings and specialties, including primary care, OB-GYN and psychiatry, offering exposure to real-world patient care environments and building essential clinical skills. They will also benefit from networking and working alongside Bayhealth and ChristianaCare’s attending physicians, residents, nurses, case managers, therapists and other health professionals.

"This collaboration is one of the many ways we are demonstrating our commitment to increase and expand our workforce pipelines,” said Neil Jasani, M.D., MBA, FACEP, chair of the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research board. “This in turn, allows us to take better care for all Delawareans.”

DIMER ensures that Delaware residents have access to high-quality medical education through guaranteed admission partnerships and clinical training arrangements with the state’s major health systems. DIMER secures medical school admission opportunities for Delawareans at PCOM and the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, while Bayhealth and ChristianaCare serve as clinical training facilities where medical students complete clinical clerkships and work with trainees from a variety of residency and fellowship programs.

While the Delaware Collaborative Clinical Campus is open to all PCOM medical students, the first five students will all be DIMER medical students who are from Delaware and are returning to their home state for clinical training.

“We are so pleased to enhance training opportunities for medical students in Delaware, specifically in Kent and Sussex counties. This reflects what we do best: partner across the state for the wellbeing of our communities through an exceptionally trained workforce,” said Omar Khan, M.D., MHS, FAAFP, president and CEO of the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance, which includes Bayhealth, ChristianaCare and PCOM.