Burrell COM (NM) receives pre-accreditation from COCA

[user3]

http://krwg.org/post/college-medicine-nmsu-receives-pre-accreditation

"The Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, also known as COCA, has awarded pre-accreditation to the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University. COCA voted in favor of BCOM’s application and awarded pre-accreditation status during a Dec. 6 meeting in Chicago.

During the meeting, a delegation from BCOM and NMSU, along with community members, health care leaders and elected officials from New Mexico, El Paso and Chihuahua, Mexico, presented their case as to why BCOM should be awarded pre-accreditation status.

“Receiving pre-accreditation is a highly significant milestone for BCOM as it validates the past two years of our work,” BCOM President Dan Burrell said. “I give enormous credit to the team members and partners who have collaborated to get this project to a point of feasibility. I am excited about the next phase of BCOM’s development and look forward to a groundbreaking event early next year.”

By awarding pre-accreditation, COCA has determined BCOM’s feasibility study, resources and body of work completed to date will ensure a successful opening of a quality medical school in the timeframes outlined in the accrediting standards and feasibility study. Of significance was the tremendous coalition of community and stakeholder support within the BorderPlex region and statewide within New Mexico.

“The future of higher education will include more public-private partnerships,” NMSU President Garrey Carruthers said. “Often, synergies between prominent public universities and private colleges can better serve our students, our communities and our state. Graduating more doctors who can work with underserved populations in our rural areas is consistent with NMSU’s statewide responsibilities.”

“This project is an outstanding example of a very diverse group of individuals working together to achieve a noble goal,” said Dr. George Mychaskiw, DO, founding dean and chief academic officer of the college. “By regionally increasing the number of physicians in primary care and diversity in the workforce, we hope to positively impact the lives of the citizens of New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua for generations to come. This is reflected in our mission statement, ‘Para la gente y el futuro: For the people and the future.’”

Additionally, BCOM’s financial resources have been validated. Prior to awarding pre-accreditation, BCOM was required to deposit $28 million, unencumbered, into an escrow account now controlled under a tri-party agreement between COCA, BCOM and the financial institution holding the funds. All other funds for the project have been and are being contributed through the Burrell Group, LLC.

As part of the agreement with NMSU, BCOM has signed a long-term land lease for its facility at NMSU’s Arrowhead Park. The next major step in BCOM’s development is to break ground on the new 80,000-square-foot medical school located at the park. The project’s architect, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, has completed the plans and the contractor, GenCon, is prepared to break ground on Jan. 5, 2015, for a May 2016 completion. BCOM expects to have obtained its provisional accreditation and admit its first class in August 2016.

Additionally, BCOM has agreed to create a significant scholarship fund for NMSU students pursuing health care and health-related fields, with an emphasis on pre-medicine students. BCOM will also provide payment to NMSU for its students to participate and utilize the same campus services as NMSU students, such as campus housing, NMSU’s student activity center and admission to NMSU athletic events.

The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University is a freestanding, privately funded, separately licensed and independently operated entity. It is not part of New Mexico State University."

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[user3]

According to other articles, BCOM class size will start at 150 and eventually grow to 300.

http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-opinion/ci_27103410

 

[AlteredScale]

According to other articles, BCOM class size will start at 150 and eventually grow to 300.

http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-opinion/ci_27103410

What are your opinions on this @user3

 

[user3]

What are your opinions on this @user3

FWIW: the dean of this school, which will be for-profit, posted this back in June 2007:

"I am an academic physician and AOA Health Policy Fellow. Osteopathic medicine is in trouble and your help is needed. Our colleges are rapidly expanding without regard to preposterous levels of tuition, postgraduate education or overall quality. The Rocky Vista shcool in Denver will be the first for-profit medical school in the US since 1935, when all for-profit schools were intentionally closed. It is owned by the same investors who own the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten. When this becomes widely known, it will destroy our credibility in the medical world. DO's will be seen as the lowest of the low and the profession will be regarded as just another money making scheme. THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND. We are a concerned group of DO's, trying to get the following resolution across:

Whereas the Flexner Report of 1910 is widely regarded as having helped reform both osteopathic and allopathic medical education and has served as a continuing reference for judging the quality of contemporary medical schools, and
Whereas Abraham Flexner was highly critical in his Report of for-profit medical education, noting : “Such exploitation of medical education, is strangely inconsistent with the social aspects of medical practice. In modern life the medical profession is an organ differentiated by society for its highest purposes, not a business to be exploited.", and
Whereas all for-profit schools of osteopathic and allopathic medicine in the U.S. were either converted into not for profit institutions, or were forced to close by 1935, and
Whereas osteopathic medical education should be held to a standard at least equal to, if not exceeding, allopathic medical education, and
Whereas the accreditation standards of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) explicitly prohibits for-profit medical schools, therefore be it resolved that,
The House of Delegates strongly disapproves the establishment of any college of osteopathic medicine operated on a for-profit basis.
Get the word out and write to everyone you know. Get involved. At any official gathering, wear the following name badge:
I DISAPPROVE!
DOCTORS NOT DOLLARS
If this generation does not act, the profession will perish."

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/help-save-the-profession.417038/

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Everyone's getting in on the cash cow.

 

[AlteredScale]

FWIW: the dean of this school, which will be for-profit, posted this back in June 2007:

"I am an academic physician and AOA Health Policy Fellow. Osteopathic medicine is in trouble and your help is needed. Our colleges are rapidly expanding without regard to preposterous levels of tuition, postgraduate education or overall quality. The Rocky Vista shcool in Denver will be the first for-profit medical school in the US since 1935, when all for-profit schools were intentionally closed. It is owned by the same investors who own the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten. When this becomes widely known, it will destroy our credibility in the medical world. DO's will be seen as the lowest of the low and the profession will be regarded as just another money making scheme. THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND. We are a concerned group of DO's, trying to get the following resolution across:

Whereas the Flexner Report of 1910 is widely regarded as having helped reform both osteopathic and allopathic medical education and has served as a continuing reference for judging the quality of contemporary medical schools, and
Whereas Abraham Flexner was highly critical in his Report of for-profit medical education, noting : “Such exploitation of medical education, is strangely inconsistent with the social aspects of medical practice. In modern life the medical profession is an organ differentiated by society for its highest purposes, not a business to be exploited.", and
Whereas all for-profit schools of osteopathic and allopathic medicine in the U.S. were either converted into not for profit institutions, or were forced to close by 1935, and
Whereas osteopathic medical education should be held to a standard at least equal to, if not exceeding, allopathic medical education, and
Whereas the accreditation standards of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) explicitly prohibits for-profit medical schools, therefore be it resolved that,
The House of Delegates strongly disapproves the establishment of any college of osteopathic medicine operated on a for-profit basis.
Get the word out and write to everyone you know. Get involved. At any official gathering, wear the following name badge:
I DISAPPROVE!
DOCTORS NOT DOLLARS
If this generation does not act, the profession will perish."

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/help-save-the-profession.417038/

Wow, that is absolutely odd and frustrating to hear that.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Wow, that is absolutely odd and frustrating to hear that.

Shouldn't you be out enjoying freedom before school starts?

 

[user3]

What are your opinions on this @user3

pros:
-on campus of major public university
-300 residency spots announced
-only 1 other medical school in NM
-ACGME trained anesthesiologist as Dean

cons:
-for-profit
-huge entering and eventual planned class size
-not a part of NMSU
-hypocrisy?

 

[AlteredScale]

Shouldn't you be out enjoying freedom before school starts?

I'm in the middle of my finals week and am pushing off writing a lab report and studying for human reproduction and development haha.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

pros:
-on campus of major public university
-300 residency spots announced
-only 1 other medical school in NM
-ACGME trained anesthesiologist as Dean

cons:
-for-profit
-huge entering and eventual planned class size
-not a part of NMSU
-hypocrisy?

How the heck are they planning to get past the 270 limit that COCA imposes?

 

[user3]

Wow, that is absolutely odd and frustrating to hear that.

agreed. reading through his post history (DO Anes), I could not find a more vocal critic of for-profit schools, COCA and the AOA.

 

[AlteredScale]

pros:
-on campus of major public university
-300 residency spots announced
-only 1 other medical school in NM
-ACGME trained anesthesiologist as Dean

cons:
-for-profit
-huge entering and eventual planned class size
-not a part of NMSU
-hypocrisy?

So are these new med school openings in accordance to more residency slots for training? It seems like this will just bottleneck things even more.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

I'm in the middle of my finals week and am pushing off writing a lab report and studying for human reproduction and development haha.

You best study that stuff. You will have an entire block of it in med school.

 

[AlteredScale]

You best study that stuff. You will have an entire block of it in med school.

I'm enjoying it. Just confused about the purpose of LH-R activation in granulosa cells right now.

 

[user3]

So are these new med school openings in accordance to more residency slots for training? It seems like this will just bottleneck things even more.

well, 300 spots when typical programs are 4 years long equates to about 75 new PGY-1 positions. COCA has also instituted a 98% placement requirement and mandates affiliation with an OPTI- though I don't think it requires a minimum ratio of OPTI spots to graduates.

 

[costales]

During the meeting, a delegation from BCOM and NMSU, along with community members, health care leaders and elected officials from New Mexico, El Paso and Chihuahua, Mexico, presented their case as to why BCOM should be awarded pre-accreditation status.

“The future of higher education will include more public-private partnerships,” NMSU President Garrey Carruthers said. “Often, synergies between prominent public universities and private colleges can better serve our students, our communities and our state. Graduating more doctors who can work with underserved populations in our rural areas is consistent with NMSU’s statewide responsibilities.”

“This project is an outstanding example of a very diverse group of individuals working together to achieve a noble goal,” said Dr. George Mychaskiw, DO, founding dean and chief academic officer of the college. “By regionally increasing the number of physicians in primary care and diversity in the workforce, we hope to positively impact the lives of the citizens of New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua for generations to come. This is reflected in our mission statement, ‘Para la gente y el futuro: For the people and the future.’”

Will this school accept Mexican nationals and have rotations in Mexico?

 

[prefontaine]

Will this school accept Mexican nationals and have rotations in Mexico?

It depends.

 

[NurWollen]

Will this school accept Mexican nationals and have rotations in Mexico?

I have to say, rotations in Mexico would be pretty cool. Not for the family man in me, but for the hispanophile in me, yes, that would be pretty cool. Of course I could always go to El Paso or LA or Miami for residency.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

So the school isn't actually a part of NMSU, it's for profit with an anti- for profit dean ( hypocrite?), and it intends to already have an enormous class size.

Yah... the osteopathic profession is in danger and everyone is ok with that.

 

[hallowmann]

Another for profit school... you know my opinion about this.

Anyways, a jump from 150 to 300 this early for a brand new school is outrageous. As far as I know, no medical school has ever done something like this in such a short time.

 

[jaguar33]

As if their motives weren't clear enough with the for profit status, they make it pretty darn clear with the talk of class size increase before breaking ground. This is embarrasing to the profession.

 

[user3]

Everyone's getting in on the cash cow.

So the school isn't actually a part of NMSU, it's for profit with an anti- for profit dean ( hypocrite?), and it intends to already have an enormous class size.

Yah... the osteopathic profession is in danger and everyone is ok with that.

Another for profit school... you know my opinion about this.

Anyways, a jump from 150 to 300 this early for a brand new school is outrageous. As far as I know, no medical school has ever done something like this in such a short time.

As if their motives weren't clear enough with the for profit status, they make it pretty darn clear with the talk of class size increase before breaking ground. This is embarrasing to the profession.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I just wonder whether established DO schools are beginning to be fed up with COCA essentially devaluating and disenfranchising the osteopathic profession. I mean I sincerely doubt that some big wigs aren't beginning to tire of LUCOMs casting shade on the more quality schools like CCOM.

 

[user3]

here is what DO Anes has written about:

AZCOM (regarding a class size increase):
"The goal is to fill as many open seats as possible and rake in the $$$$$$$$$. AZCOM is going to be THE laughingstock of the West. An increase of 100 students is preposterous and quality will suffer."

LECOM:
"The stretch is more in calling LECOM a medical school."
"Uh huh. We just went through 1000 residency applicants. The plethora of LECOM campuses, teaching models, etc. is confusing and seen as less credible, even to DO friendly programs. My favorite is their "independent study" program. Just having LECOM on the file is enough for some people to toss it into a different pile. Not fair, but we live in the real world."

RVU:
"Make no mistake, this profession is finished. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but it will inevitably come and sooner rather than later. You cannot ignore standards, accepted educational models and permit rinky-dink schools to proliferate without eventually bringing down the house of cards.
Anyway, RVU can easily become yet another Denver area office building."

 

[jaguar33]

Its amazing how his opinion changed after dollar bills were waved under his nose.

 

[NurWollen]

Does anyone else get a kick out of the fact that a businessman decided to build a med school and name it after himself? If he were donating money to an existing school and they decided to name it after him, that would be different, but this comes across as a bit tacky.

 

[user3]

Does anyone else get a kick out of the fact that a businessman decided to build a med school and name it after himself? If he were donating money to an existing school and they decided to name it after him, that would be different, but this comes across as a bit tacky.

a monument to arrogance.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

If you can't beat them, join them!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[meliora27]

Perhaps the most established schools should investigate the feasibility of LCME accreditation and say enough is enough with school popping up overnight.

 

[user3]

.

 

[DoctorKrieger]

#thanksCOCA

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Perhaps the most established schools should investigate the feasibility of LCME accreditation and say enough is enough with school popping up overnight.

The question is whether sooner or later a pathway will open up and
DO schools will actively seek dual accreditation further dividing established vs not established schools.

 

[AlteredScale]

The question is whether sooner or later a pathway will open up and
DO schools will actively seek dual accreditation further dividing established vs not established schools.

Is their crosstalk between LCME and ACGME? If so then perhaps it will happen?

 

[user3]

update:

New Las Cruces medical school moving forward ahead of schedule

"The private medical school will be the first in Las Cruces and only the second medical school in the state. It will also be the state’s only school devoted to osteopathy. The school is organized as a for-profit business and funded by Santa Fe resident Daniel Burrell through his family’s private equity firm."
...
"The school will serve 150 students in its first year, adding students each year to reach the planned 1,200 total."

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/ne...cle_aab3f479-aeca-5c96-b335-7c8ccc34d81f.html

 

[Mad Jack]

I think the LCME should aggressively seek to absorb the COCA. I know they won't, however, as an excess of DOs will get them what they want- a political situation in which they can say, "look, we have American graduates that aren't getting residencies!" MDs will still be at the top of the pile, so it will mostly be DOs not matching, so they get all the political clout for a push to expand GME, but none of the risk for their own graduates. DO expansion is a win-win for the LCME, AMA, etc. And more schools equals more power for the COCA, so it isn't in their best interest to limit expansion either.

 

[NurWollen]

I don't know why the heck anyone would build a for-profit school. There are plenty of ways to make just as much profit with a not-for-profit, without the associated
controversy.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

This uncontrolled proliferation of schools combined with the emergence of these new laws that allow med grads to practice without residency is not going to be good for the field.

 

[NurWollen]

This uncontrolled proliferation of schools combined with the emergence of these new laws that allow med grads to practice without residency is not going to be good for the field.

Is this happening anywhere other than Missouri?

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Is this happening anywhere other than Missouri?

Seems like it's going to happen in Arkansas too.

 

[NurWollen]

Seems like it's going to happen in Arkansas too.

I can imagine a future where these laws proliferate, and where, given enough med school grads, working in these kinds of jobs becomes a defacto perquisite for getting a residency, especially for foreign grads.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I can imagine a future where these laws proliferate, and where, given enough med school grads, working in these kinds of jobs becomes a defacto perquisite for getting a residency, especially for foreign grads.

Perhaps.

I think it will take years before we see the damaging effects, so as far as I know, the sky hasn't fallen...just yet.

 

[NurWollen]

Perhaps.

I think it will take years before we see the damaging effects, so as far as I know, the sky hasn't fallen...just yet.

True. As far as 'for the good of the profession' issues go, I think any negative effects will be a long time in coming. From a patient safety standpoint, is it any different than newly graduated PA's treating patients? Probably not.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Where we want to admit it or not. When one pickle goes sour the whole jar goes sour too. The same is slowly happening with osteopathic medicine.

The proliferation of LUCOMs, burrels, and etcburgcoms are dangerously bringing the profession to the point that the whole jar can be considered bad and worth tossing.

When an accrediting body allows a member to join it enters into the notion that the minimal standards are already more than adequate. But allowing substandard constantly doesn't just hurt students there, it hurts students in established schools. It hurts students in residency when they are considered as being of the same ilk as lower standard schools.

When it comes down to it either established schools will need to start abandoning ship through some sort of elaborate measure or coca needs to in it's entirety reevaluate it's existence.

 

[Mad Jack]

I don't know why the heck anyone would build a for-profit school. There are plenty of ways to make just as much profit with a not-for-profit, without the associated
controversy.

If it is for-profit, there's no need to play games. You can just take the money and run, as much as you want, no questions asked. If it's a not-for-profit, you have to do BS like actually working for the place to take your cut (see LECOM and the Ferettis that work there to make over 600k a piece as an example).

 

[hallowmann]

If it is for-profit, there's no need to play games. You can just take the money and run, as much as you want, no questions asked. If it's a not-for-profit, you have to do BS like actually working for the place to take your cut (see LECOM and the Ferettis that work there to make over 600k a piece as an example).

People always quote this stuff when it comes to the "abuse" of not-for-profit status, but honestly this is the norm in both higher education and healthcare systems. The higher-ups take their cut no matter what. The difference is that the not-for-profit status requires that the school have a mission other than making money for the owners and that (ideally) a substantial portion of the money they make (technically any "profit") goes right back into the institution.

The Ferrettis may make a crazy amount by primary care doc standards, but the fact that the tuition remains the lowest among all private medical schools in a time when they could easily charge >$10k/yr more and still be cheaper than most DO schools at least shows that it's not only about the money.

The fact that BCOM is going to be for-profit, is looking at doubling it's size to be in the top 10 in terms of size of DO schools before it's even opened, and is planning to charge upwards of $60k/yr in tuition should really be alarming.

 

[Mad Jack]

People always quote this stuff when it comes to the "abuse" of not-for-profit status, but honestly this is the norm in both higher education and healthcare systems. The higher-ups take their cut no matter what. The difference is that the not-for-profit status requires that the school have a mission other than making money for the owners and that (ideally) a substantial portion of the money they make (technically any "profit") goes right back into the institution.

The Ferrettis may make a crazy amount by primary care doc standards, but the fact that the tuition remains the lowest among all private medical schools in a time when they could easily charge >$10k/yr more and still be cheaper than most DO schools at least shows that it's not only about the money.

The fact that BCOM is going to be for-profit, is looking at doubling it's size to be in the top 10 in terms of size of DO schools before it's even opened, and is planning to charge upwards of $60k/yr in tuition should really be alarming.

The big difference between the higher-ups at LECOM and the higher-ups anywhere else is nepotism- almost everyone in senior leadership at LECOM is a Feretti. When a single family runs an institution and skims all the profit from an institution that is non-profit, it's entirely different than the higher leadership at a non-profit that has people that were largely chosen via merit occupying the top positions and being compensated adequately. At any place other than LECOM, looking to enrich your family member by appointing them to a senior leadership position would be a scandal in 95% of cases, if not a fireable offense if it was found you'd overlooked better people to bring a family member in instead. At a private for-profit you can basically do whatever the hell you want without any accountability whatsoever. LECOM operates by the sorts of rules no other non-profit I've ever known operates by, the sorts of practices typically used by small for-profit enterprises, in a blatantly obvious and public manner. That they maintain their non-profit status is a slap in the face to what a non-profit is supposed to be.

Also, so glad to be graduating before the SHTF with all these new schools.

 

[hallowmann]

The big difference between the higher-ups at LECOM and the higher-ups anywhere else is nepotism- almost everyone in senior leadership at LECOM is a Feretti. When a single family runs an institution and skims all the profit from an institution that is non-profit, it's entirely different than the higher leadership at a non-profit that has people that were largely chosen via merit occupying the top positions and being compensated adequately. At any place other than LECOM, looking to enrich your family member by appointing them to a senior leadership position would be a scandal in 95% of cases, if not a fireable offense if it was found you'd overlooked better people to bring a family member in instead. At a private for-profit you can basically do whatever the hell you want without any accountability whatsoever. LECOM operates by the sorts of rules no other non-profit I've ever known operates by, the sorts of practices typically used by small for-profit enterprises, in a blatantly obvious and public manner. That they maintain their non-profit status is a slap in the face to what a non-profit is supposed to be.

Also, so glad to be graduating before the SHTF with all these new schools.

Your argument is misleading and dubious at best.

First, you do realize that the 2 individuals (true both Ferrettis, a brother and sister) at LECOM being paid >$600k, who are the highest officers, have been in those positions for some time because they are two of the people that started the school in the first place, right? I don't know if I'd call it a conspiracy if 2 of the founders of an organization were in charge of it.

There's a total of 3 Ferrettis out of the 23 employees listed in their 990 Form. The only ones making more than what any physician would make are the ones I mentioned.

Second, while there are certainly many Ferrettis working there, the Ferretti family (a pretty big one to begin with) comprises the largest family of physicians in Erie. Its not really a surprise to see Ferrettis working at the only med school there.

I'm not a huge fan of LECOM admin, but the points you're making are kind of BS.


EDIT:
LECOM Administration:
http://lecom.edu/contact.php/Leader...lege-of-Osteopathic-Medicine/49/2205/626/2533

I counted a total of 4 Ferrettis in the whole of LECOM's administration out of the 60 or so on the list (not exactly what I would call "almost everyone"). 2 of them, the 2 making the most and holding the top positions, are the same 2 that have been with the school from the beginning. The one getting paid the most has had the same job since LECOM opened 23 yrs ago. None of this is surprising from the perspective of a non-profit organization.

 

[ERK123]

This is a black stain upon osteopathic medicine. The same can be said about RVU.

 

[user3]

This is a black stain upon osteopathic medicine. The same can be said about RVU.

hey, at least they are honest-

"The school is organized as a for-profit business and funded by Santa Fe resident Daniel Burrell through his family’s private equity firm."

 

[ERK123]

hey, at least they are honest-

"The school is organized as a for-profit business and funded by Santa Fe resident Daniel Burrell through his family’s private equity firm."

Even if you plead guilty, you are still guilty. I will say that associating yourself with New Mexico State University but not really being officially part of the university is a far step from honesty in my opinion.