Can medical schools "shut down"

[Dentisting]

are medical schools allowed to temporarily "shut down" in order to gain some kind of lobbying power in order for MDs and DOs to gain some kind of leverage against the opression of insurance agencies?

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[zinjanthropus]

are medical schools allowed to temporarily "shut down" in order to gain some kind of lobbying power in order for MDs and DOs to gain some kind of leverage against the opression of insurance agencies?

what? ....what?

 

[docB]

Yeah, that'll show 'em.

 

[typhoonegator]

Why would they do that? Medical schools have enough to worry about without thinking about how well you are going to get reimbursed 10 years down the line.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Do dental schools do that (seeing as the OP lists himself as a Pre dent)?

I agree with docB...as if Medicare and insurance companies are that far-sighted as to give a damn about medical students.

 

[MacGyver]

Since the post-Flexner report, there has been exactly ONE medical school that shut its doors. It was a DO program at Oral Roberts Univ in Tulsa.

So I'd say the chances of med schools shutting down for any reason are slim to none. They are cash cows. The med school admins want the $$$. The politicians want hte economic impact. The community wants the "doctors." The only people who have an interest in seeing med schools close would be other doctors, and they dont hold much clout compared to those other groups.

 

[lowbudget]

Physician labor economics is more complicated that you'd expect. Government funded med schools have a public policy mandate to supply enough doctors to serve taxpayers, and private med schools have donors/foundations to keep happy.

Besides, even if you could shut down med schools to restrict supply and drive up physician income/reimbursement, there are legislative safety values that can circumvent your attempt: import/train/license more foreign doctors, expand scope of practice for mid-levels. Also, there are market forces that would adapt: such as generalists doing specialty work (family docs doing colonoscopies & C-sections) and specialists doing generalist work (cardiologists managing hypertension & dyslipidemia, OB/Gyn doing breast exams & managing osteoporosis).

I think if we want to be paid more, we have to give people a reason to pay us more and quit giving them the same crap that they have been receiving or what they can get from mid-levels. That's just my opinion.

 

[Hernandez]

Since the post-Flexner report, there has been exactly ONE medical school that shut its doors. It was a DO program at Oral Roberts Univ in Tulsa.

Are you sure it was an Osteopathic school? I could have sworn that it was an allopathic school.

 

[DrMom]

Are you sure it was an Osteopathic school? I could have sworn that it was an allopathic school.

It was definitely an MD school. It closed in 1990 due to financial issues.

 

[Hernandez]

It was definitely an MD school. It closed in 1990 due to financial issues.

and because God told Roberts to shut it down

 

[DrMom]

something like that

 

[gtleeee]

Since the post-Flexner report, there has been exactly ONE medical school that shut its doors. It was a DO program at Oral Roberts Univ in Tulsa.

So I'd say the chances of med schools shutting down for any reason are slim to none. They are cash cows. The med school admins want the $$$. The politicians want hte economic impact. The community wants the "doctors." The only people who have an interest in seeing med schools close would be other doctors, and they dont hold much clout compared to those other groups.

I well remember that place (Oral Roberts Medical School) and lived just a couple of hours from there. Why, on earth, would you try to saddle us poor D.O.'s with that outrage.)

 

[Tired]

I well remember that place (Oral Roberts Medical School) and lived just a couple of hours from there. Why, on earth, would you try to saddle us poor D.O.'s with that outrage.)

I think once you sign up for "Oral Robers Medical School", you pretty much deserve whatever you get.

 

[docB]

I think once you sign up for "Oral Robers Medical School", you pretty much deserve whatever you get.

I'm sure they were full. Wander over to pre allo to see just how desperate these people are.

 

[DrMom]

I love the general assumption on here that the religiously-affiliated school wasn't good.

 

[Faebinder]

I love the general assumption on here that the religiously-affiliated school wasn't good.

Well it is Oral Roberts... in Tulsa Oklahoma (was there for 1.5 years of my life... will never ever go there again.)

 

[DrMom]

Well, I got my UG from ORU and later taught UG and grad students there. I was there when the medical school closed.
There is nothing wrong with the education provided there, regardless of what you think of Oral or Richard.


Anyways, I wasn't trying to come on this thread to derail it. Back to the rest of the thread...

 

[docB]

I love the general assumption on here that the religiously-affiliated school wasn't good.

No, that wasn't my assumption. There have been lots of stories about leadership changes at the Univeristy and the fact that a med school closed points to administrative problems. Other religiously affiliated schools don't seem to be stigmatized (pun intended). BYU, Touro, et al.

 

[DrMom]

I wasn't trying to single out an individual poster, just a general reaction.

 

[Hernandez]

What's the problem with ORU? Dr Goljan use to teach at that medical school.

 

[docB]

I wasn't trying to single out an individual poster, just a general reaction.

I know. But you were right. ORU was mentioned and the responses (including mine) sounded a bit negative.

 

[DrMom]

What's the problem with ORU? Dr Goljan use to teach at that medical school.

It was all financial. The school has always had financial problems and a medical school is a very expensive venture, so it made sense to close it in order to protect the rest of the school financiallly. Obviously, given recent news, the financial problems are still present at the school.

The medical school closed during a semester and transferred the students to other medical schools. All of the students got a spot somewhere...some other medical schools were given medical equipment/supplies from the school in return for taking students.