Schaumburg, IL – July 30, 2025 – A new College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) is in Applicant Status and working towards Candidate Status with the goal of application submission in September 2025 in time for the COCA meeting in December 2025. Based out of their Schaumburg, Illinois headquarters, the Niazee College of Osteopathic Medicine (NCOM) will graduate future generations of proud and passionate osteopathic physicians leading to lasting and meaningful long-term impact within the communities they will serve.
The visionaries behind NCOM include Founder and President/CEO Dr. M.T. AliNiazee, PhD; Board Chair Dr. Mateen AliNiazee, MD; and Executive Vice President/Chief Strategy Officer, Kareem M. Irfan, Esq. Dr. M.T. AliNiazee, PhD is a world-renowned scientist, scholar, and author of over 150 research articles, books, and reviews. He brings over 55 years of teaching, research, and administrative experience to NCOM with an unbridled passion to bring this world-class osteopathic medical school to Illinois. Dr. Mateen AliNiazee, MD is a board-certified cataract and corneal refractive surgeon at the Kovach Eye Institute, with five offices throughout the Chicagoland Suburbs. Before practicing ophthalmology in the Chicagoland area, Dr. AliNiazee was in private practice in California and Illinois, where he held leadership positions in hospitals and healthcare organizations. Mr. Kareem M. Irfan, Esq. has served as an international CEO, Intervention Business Strategist and M&A specialist with 35+ years of leadership experience. He is a seasoned business executive, attorney, and trusted strategic advisor for global companies, NGOs, and CEOs.
“I’ve always believed in what I call the ‘tripod’ of care, compassion, and excellence,” said Dr. M.T. AliNiazee. “Building a community that SERVES the community has never been more important in osteopathic medicine and the greater world we live in.”
In addition, NCOM has joined with a talented group of partners to grow the organization to Applicant Status and early stages of the Candidacy Status process. NCOM is thrilled to introduce the not-for-profit organization’s Founding Dean, Chief Academic Officer, and Professor of Emergency Medicine, Dr. K. Scott Whitlow, DO, CS, FAAEM. Dr. Whitlow most recently served as the Senior Associate Dean and Chief Academic Integrity Officer at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is residency-trained in Emergency Medicine, fellowship-trained in Medical Toxicology, and board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine, and the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons. He also serves as the Vice President of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California and as a member of the AOA Bureau of International Osteopathic Medicine.
“I am excited and inspired to be part of NCOM’s founding leadership team as we embark on this incredibly important work,” said Dr. Whitlow. “As a lifelong proud and passionate osteopathic physician, I look forward to bringing together the best of the best to PRODUCE the best of the best for the future of osteopathic medicine.”
For more information about NCOM, the leadership team, or to follow our journey to accreditation, please visit www.ncomchicago.org