Montanas First Medical School Educating the Next Generation of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Montana’s First Medical School

Educating the Next Generation of Physicians Locally

National Outlook

There are not enough graduates from American medical schools to fill existing residencies. Internationally-trained physicians make up a quarter of the physician workforce in the U.S., and the national physician shortage is expected to worsen significantly going forward. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the nation will have a shortage of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033, with up to 55,200 of those being in primary care.

93% of Montana’s counties are designated as having medical provider shortages. 11 of Montana’s 56 counties do not have a practicing physician. 40% of Montana’s physicians are age 55 or older.

Montana Outlook

Montana ranks 44th nationally for accessibility of physicians practicing within primary care – there are only 872 total physicians practicing family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, and pediatrics.

Montana Compared to the Nation

Place-of-Practice Trends

40% of physicians practice in the state where they completed medical school. 70% of physicians who complete both their medical school and residency training in a single state stay in that state to practice.

Western University of Health Sciences is a private, non-profit university with its main campus in Pomona, California and an additional campus in Lebanon, Oregon. The university was established in 1977, has an enrollment of nearly 4,000 students, and offers degrees in osteopathic medicine, dental medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, nursing, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, pharmacy, biomedical sciences, and veterinary medicine. WesternU/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific ranks 12th nationally for the percentage of graduates that go into primary care practices.

Western University of Health Sciences

Osteopathic vs. Allopathic Schools

Allopathic medical schools tend to be more research- based, cultivating specialty practitioners, while

• steopathic programs tend to produce more primary care
• providers. Both are necessary for the success of the

healthcare field. Having both medical education opportunities also allows students the ability to choose the path they prefer while still providing the plethora of medical providers necessary to address the state health needs.

Economic Impact

We have commissioned the University of Montana to determine the economic impact of a medical school in

• Montana. We expect the impact to be substantial.

• WesternU and Benefis Health System signed a joint letter of intent to work towards establishing a medical school in

Great Falls on April 13, 2020.

• Many informational contacts have been made notifying key people of the plan to develop a medical school in Montana.

Contacts have been met with positive reception to date.

• The Montana State University Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and Board of Regents approved

WesternU to award post-secondary degree programs in Montana on May 19, 2020.

• 62 members of the Benefis medical staff submitted applications and were accepted as clinical faculty affiliates, with

additional applications still pending.

• A site for the school in Great Falls has been selected, and preliminary building plans have been completed.
• Much of the material required for the school’s initial accreditation application has been developed and is ready to be

submitted, pending adjustments to meet forthcoming new branch campus requirements.

• Introductions were made and an initial discussion occurred between WesternU and McLaughlin Research Institute

about collaboration opportunities between the two organizations on June 24, 2020.

• Benefis acquired additional land near the medical school site for potential future development such as student

apartments on June 24, 2020.

Accomplishments To Date

Detailed planning and preparations, based on newly (late June) released accreditation rules will begin. The branch campus model will allow the school to have a curriculum tailored to Montana rather than simply duplicating the main campus curriculum as would be the case in an additional location model. A timeline will be established for the school’s yet-to-be-determined open date. Alissa Craft, DO will continue to lead the Western U team to establish the school. Paul Dolan, MD will continue to lead the Benefis Health System team. WesternU is looking forward to working with the Montana Hospital Association as we move forward.

Next Steps

Questions?