Crossroads Academic Medical Institute brings together universities, health systems, and research partners to expand healthcare training, research, and access across Indiana.
Indiana faces a growing need for physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to care remains a challenge.
To address that need, Marian University and Purdue University, along with healthcare systems and academic partners statewide, have launched the Crossroads Academic Medical Institute, a first-of-its-kind statewide network designed to strengthen healthcare education, expand clinical training opportunities, and improve patient access across Indiana.
Announced on May 19th in Indianapolis alongside Indiana Governor Mike Braun and healthcare leaders from across the state, the initiative creates a distributed academic medical model that connects universities, health systems, and clinical training sites through a coordinated statewide network.
Unlike traditional academic medical centers built around a single hospital campus, Crossroads Academic Medical Institute operates through partnerships throughout Indiana, creating opportunities for education, research, workforce development, and patient care across the state.
“This institute and the collaborative power of higher education, working with private industry, government, outstanding clinical professionals, and healthcare providers, will advance promising research and exploration of new approaches to ensuring compassionate, high-quality, and affordable care,” said Daniel J. Elsener, president of Marian University.
Marian University’s Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine will serve as the academic anchor for medical education, collaborating with Purdue University’s research enterprise and healthcare partners across Indiana.
The collaboration aims to:
- Expand clinical training opportunities in urban and rural communities- Develop residency programs in underserved regions
- Strengthen pathways from education to practice for physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals
- Advance research through shared expertise and infrastructure
Purdue President Mung Chiang said the initiative reflects a growing focus on collaborative approaches to healthcare education and innovation.
“Partnering with Marian University’s medical school and many hospital systems is the latest reflection of Purdue's focus on Indianapolis and on One Health,” Chiang said.
Healthcare leaders involved in the initiative say workforce shortages continue to affect communities across Indiana, particularly in primary care, behavioral health, and specialty medicine.
“Indiana needs more physicians and healthcare professionals, and Crossroads Academic Medical Institute is designed to meet that challenge head-on,” said Dr. Amanda Wright, dean of Marian University’s Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine.
University leaders also believe the initiative could create significant long-term research opportunities by attracting new external funding and by supporting healthcare innovation throughout Indiana.
The partnership includes Community Health Network, Ascension St. Vincent, Parkview Health, Margaret Mary Health, Hancock Health, Daviess Community Hospital, Deaconess Health System, and the Indiana Rural Health Association.
The Catholic University of America will also partner to help establish a complementary national model for Catholic academic medicine, focusing on research, physician formation, and community health.
Additional partners, research collaborations, and training opportunities are expected to be announced in the months ahead.
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