On September 3, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Council of Trustees heard an update on IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, including an introduction of the college’s first four tenure-track faculty members.
The new faculty introduced today were Marina Diioia, Cheryl Doane, Sophia Johnson, and Stephanie Klinesmith.
“These faculty members bring extensive expertise in their fields and strong teaching experience and skills to their roles as faculty,” Founding Dean of IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine Miko Rose said. “They also fully understand and share IUP’s commitment to rural health and our core values of accessibility; a commitment to the principles of osteopathic medicine; compassionate care and service; integrity, respect, and a culture of inquiry; and accountability and teamwork,” she said.
“The four newly appointed tenure-track faculty of the IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine embody this school’s mission of unique skillsets to create a curriculum with a rural-focused mission, extensive osteopathic medical education curricular development, wellness emphasis, and individualized learning plans for students. Between these four outstanding faculty leaders, we have decades of experience and extensive commitment to serving rural communities.”
IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine holds pre-accreditation status from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and is actively recruiting and admitting students to begin medical instruction within the approved osteopathic medical curriculum. The first class of students is anticipated to enter in fall 2027.
There are only three colleges of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania, all at private universities; IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is the only college of osteopathic medicine at a public university.
IUP’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree program was approved in April by Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Chancellor Chris Fiorentino. IUP’s Council of Trustees approved forwarding the degree proposal to the chancellor at its December 2025 meeting, following approval by the IUP University-Wide Graduate Committee and Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty Representative Council.
IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine has as its mission to serve rural communities, affordability, and clinical opportunities throughout all four years of medical education at IUP. IUP currently has 290 percent of the required clinical training affiliation agreement spots, all at rural healthcare providers, that are required for accreditation.
Trustees also heard an update on facilities for the IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine, which are on schedule to be completed before the end of 2026:
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Clinical training spaces and clinical faculty and administrative offices to be sited in McElhaney Hall, including student training spaces (simulated patient care spaces, osteopathic manipulation techniques training lab, and clinical skills lab).
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Pre-clinical administration and faculty and learning spaces in Jane E. Leonard Hall, including two large classrooms, group study rooms, and spaces for biomedical sciences faculty and administrators.
About the Faculty
Dr. Marina Diioia
Marina Diioia comes to IUP from her work as associate dean of graduate programs and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She has been in several roles there, including serving as director of the Human Gift Registry, vice chair of biomedical sciences, and director of faculty development. She previously held faculty positions at Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and at Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine.
She has authored many peer-reviewed publications and has been deeply involved in service to her institutions, including roles on the dean’s cabinet, the Academic Policy Committee, the accreditation team, and curriculum-building groups. In leadership roles at her previous universities, she served as chair of the faculty senate at ICOM and chair of faculty assembly at WVSOM. She is active in professional organizations, including as a fellow of the National Academy of Osteopathic Medical Educators.
Her degrees are from California State University San Marcos (BS in biology) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health (PhD, cellular and molecular pathology). She also completed postdoctoral training in vaccine design and delivery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and was a postdoctoral fellow in medical device development at Vatrix Medical Inc.
Dr. Cheryl Doane
Cheryl Doane comes to IUP from her work as clinical professor of family medicine and OMT in the Department of Primary Care at the University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Biddeford and Portland, Maine.
She has served in educational leadership and clinical positions, such as course director for osteopathic clinical skills and medical knowledge, associate dean for academic affairs, and section head for primary care, while also teaching medical students and seeing patients at University Health at UNE COM. Prior to her work in New England, she was a faculty member and clinical education director for the statewide campus system of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, course director and teacher for clinical skills at MSUCOM, and the osteopathic director of medical education and osteopathic internship program director for the Sparrow Health System in East Lansing and Lansing, Michigan. She was also the MSUCOM Sparrow Based Hospital clerkship program director and faculty for the Sparrow/Michigan State University Family Medicine Residency Program, Lansing, Michigan, where she precepted medical students and resident physicians, and practiced family medicine seeing patients.
Earlier in her career, she was a family medicine physician and practiced at Spectrum Health Primary Care Partners, Kentwood Family Practice, in Kentwood, Michigan, seeing patients and mentoring nurse practitioners in training. Doane has served on many committees, including the UNE COM Curriculum Advisory Committee, Assessment and Evaluation Committee, Review Promotion and Tenure Committee, and Faculty Affairs and Development Committee in Biddeford and Portland, Maine. She has also been chair of the MSUCOM Admissions Committee at MSUCOM in East Lansing, Michigan, on the MOADME Committee, the Osteopathic Principles and Practices and Osteopathic Recognition Committees for both MSUCOM and Sparrow Health System, East Lansing and Lansing, Michigan, as well as having served on the NBOME Standards Settings and Case Development Committees, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
She is a member of many professional organizations, including being a past president of the Ingham Tri-County Osteopathic Medical Association, Michigan, and has won numerous awards for teaching and her work, including the AACOM TOPCE Master Educator Award and the AOA, DO Mentor of the Year Award, and has further authored some professional articles. Prior to her work in medicine, she was a high school science teacher and coach. She has a bachelor of science degree in biology and a master of science degree in education from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois. She earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois. She is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians in Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment.
Dr. Sophia Johnson
Sophia Johnson, a national faculty member on the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, also works as an inpatient palliative medicine physician. She has been an assistant professor at Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she worked on multiple committees, including research symposium planning and interprofessional education. She was also a clerkship director and student organization advisor there and helped to implement the ultrasound curriculum. She also has taught at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. She is board certified in emergency medicine and has practiced as an urgent care medical director and physician. She has held leadership positions in many professional organizations and has been a volunteer for a number of committees and initiatives, including providing free medical services to underserved areas in Peru. She is the author of many professional articles and has been honored for her contributions to osteopathic research by the Michigan Osteopathic Association.
She earned her bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Michigan and her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her emergency medical residency at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. She is passionate about mental health and wellness in medical school and beyond and has given many presentations to medical students and residents on the topic.
Dr. Stephanie Klinesmith
Stephanie Klinesmith was a part-time assistant professor and lead biomedical faculty member for the IUP College of Osteopathic Medicine during the 2025–26 academic year. Prior to her work at IUP, she was chair of the Department of Anatomy and course director of neuroanatomy at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and an adjunct instructor at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.
She has authored many professional publications and has presented her research on student success, student burnout and well-being, and educational delivery methods in the anatomical sciences at many national conferences. She participated in many committees while at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, including the curriculum and admissions committees, and served as faculty chair of the library committee. She has also served as a faculty member and thesis advisor for the master’s in interdisciplinary biological and physical sciences at Touro.
She is a member of the American Association of Anatomy, a national faculty member of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, and a Resilient Mindsets in Medicine fellow. She received her BA in psychology and BS in biology (pre-medicine) from IUP, her master of science in medical education from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and her doctor of education in health professions education from A. T. Still University.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the commonwealth.