Drs. Natasha Bray and Douglas Nolan: Fighting the National Doctor Shortage and Creating New Opportunities for Native Americans at the Nation’s First-Ever Tribally Affiliated Medical School

Just 5 years ago, Oklahoma State University and the Cherokee Nation launched a first-of-its-kind medical school. 

The College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation is the first and only medical college to be founded on tribal land and linked to a native tribe. The school made history when its first graduating class of doctors received their degrees in May 2024. 

Drs. Natasha Bray and Douglas Nolan are the Dean and Associate Dean of the school. They join us from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where they are helping a new generation of doctors learn to provide critical care — especially in rural and tribal areas, which are facing a dire shortage of doctors. 

During the show you’ll also hear from Megan Tramel. She’s a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a student at the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tahlequah. This month, in May 2025, she’ll receive her degree and start the next phase of her journey as a doctor. 

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