Family Ties
Dale Albright, DO, graduated from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in its early years. Now his son, Drew, is hoping to replicate his father’s trailblazing journey at COMP-Northwest.
Albright, who is Medical Director of Emergency Services at Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass, Ore., graduated from COMP in 1986. COMP has grown tremendously since then, adding eight additional colleges and becoming Western University of Health Sciences.
He last visited the campus 15 years ago, and is astounded by the growth and construction of new buildings.
“It’s very impressive,” Albright said. “When (WesternU President) Dr. Pumerantz was talking about his vision for the college when we were freshmen, we thought he was out of his mind. Not only was he not out of his mind, it turns out he was quite a visionary.”
After graduating from COMP, Albright completed his emergency medicine residency and went into practice in Chico, Calif. He then worked in Las Vegas for several years, and for the past seven years has worked in Grants Pass.
He was in Southern California to receive his Master of Medical Management degree from USC.
“Physicians need to get back in the driver’s seat for medicine,” Albright said. “We need to be the agents of change, not the ones affected by change. You need to be on the same playing field as MBAs. Doctors need to get formal business training to be their peers so our voice can be heard.”
Drew Albright graduated from Southern Oregon University in Ashland in June 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. His interest in medicine was sparked by an anatomy and physiology course, followed by job shadowing that took him into the operating room.
“I went into an operating room and saw a surgery,” he said. “I was exhilarated by it. I liked anatomy. I’m so intrigued by it.”
He met COMP Northwest Track students who were on rotation in his father’s ER and invited them to talk to his classmates. Their visit, which including an Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy demonstration, introduced many of Drew’s classmates to osteopathic medicine. Now several of his friends are applying to osteopathic medical schools, he said.
He is applying to enter COMP-Northwest in fall 2011, when COMP opens a new campus in Lebanon, Ore. Joining the first class of a new medical school might be disorganized, but this school comes with the COMP’s reputation and history.
“Because it’s coming from an awesome track record with COMP here, I’m not worried about that at all,” Drew said. “COMP is on the forefront of osteopathic training.”
