A-State News
NYITCOM at A-State Receives $1.25 Million for a New Family Medicine Residency
The largest single gift the medical school has received since 2016 will remodel a clinic in Blytheville, home to a family medicine residency planned to open in 2027.
On 4 November 2026, the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, known as NYITCOM-Arkansas and part of New York Institute of Technology, announced a $1.25 million gift from Ted “Teddy” Huffman and Cheryl Huffman. The gift supports a new family medicine residency program in Mississippi County, in northeast Arkansas. It is the largest single gift the medical school has received since it was founded in 2016.
What the gift pays for
- Remodelling a clinic at Great River Medical Center (GRMC) in Blytheville, home to the residency. It will be named the Cheryl and Teddy Huffman Family Medicine Residency Clinic.
- Supporting the medical school and local health partners in creating more physician training opportunities in rural Arkansas.
The program is planned to open in 2027. Architect Marlon Blackwell of Blackwell Architects leads the renovation and presented renderings at the announcement. Mr Huffman grew up in Blytheville, served in the US Navy and works at the investment management firm Pretium in New York. Mrs Huffman is an attorney.
Why a residency here
Mississippi County currently has eight full-time family medicine physicians. Most physicians go on to practise near where they complete residency, so a new program in an underserved area is a lasting way to strengthen the local workforce.
Alongside the gift, a $3 million grant from the Governor of Arkansas through the state’s Rural Health Transformation Program will help cover startup costs, and the Mississippi County Hospital System received separate grants this summer for infrastructure. The program builds on a memorandum of understanding NYITCOM-Arkansas and the hospital system signed in August 2025.
What it means for students interested in medicine
NYITCOM-Arkansas is based on the A-State campus in Jonesboro (see A-State’s history). In the US, medicine is studied after a bachelor’s degree, so many students start with a science major such as biology or chemistry. Each medical school sets its own policy on international applicants, so check directly before planning. Browse A-State’s programs, and for health careers see studying nursing in the US.
Source: New York Institute of Technology news release, 4 November 2026.
Next step
Planning a health or pre-medical path in the US? Book a free one-to-one consultation with the A-State Vietnam Office, or call / message us on Zalo at +84 97 586 1994. The office is run by VNIS Vietnam as an Authorized Recruiter for Arkansas State University.
