Thoughts on another COM???

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scpod

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At the next COCA meeting in December, discussion on a branch campus of VCOM in Spartanburg, SC will be take place. Spartanburg Regional Medical Center is pushing very hard for this to take happen. They currently have a level one trauma center (106,000 yearly visits), a heart center, a cancer and a couple of ACGME residencies in place (surgery, tansitional year and fp-- fp for 40 years now). The GME director absolutely loves DOs and plans on starting several more specialty residencies, like derm. They already host PCSOM and VCOM students as a third-year core site and invite others for core and elective rotations. The hospital is really pumped to have a DO school on their campus. Any thoughts?

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in that setting, it sounds like a much better idea than setting up free standing ones that ship their students all over the damn place.
 
At the next COCA meeting in December, discussion on a branch campus of VCOM in Spartanburg, SC will be take place. Spartanburg Regional Medical Center is pushing very hard for this to take happen. They currently have a level one trauma center (106,000 yearly visits), a heart center, a cancer and a couple of ACGME residencies in place (surgery, tansitional year and fp-- fp for 40 years now). The GME director absolutely loves DOs and plans on starting several more specialty residencies, like derm. They already host PCSOM and VCOM students as a third-year core site and invite others for core and elective rotations. The hospital is really pumped to have a DO school on their campus. Any thoughts?

Sounds like the right way to start a school to me!!!
 
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That's all well and good, but you know what irks me... why isn't COCA trying to develop new DO schools that are affiliated with already-established academic institutions? I mean, think about how many major universities exist that don't yet have a medical school associated with them... Notre Dame, Colorado State, Arizona State, Villanova, etc... All these new branches opening up just seem more like a "franchise" to me. Sure, this puts more DOs into the physician workforce, but does nothing to elevate the reputation of DOs, and does not favor research or the advancement of medicine.
 
That's all well and good, but you know what irks me... why isn't COCA trying to develop new DO schools that are affiliated with already-established academic institutions? I mean, think about how many major universities exist that don't yet have a medical school associated with them... Notre Dame, Colorado State, Arizona State, Villanova, etc... All these new branches opening up just seem more like a "franchise" to me. Sure, this puts more DOs into the physician workforce, but does nothing to elevate the reputation of DOs, and does not favor research or the advancement of medicine.

Hmm, that actually is a good point. My guess would be that med schools (MD and DO) have tried to do this with certain schools, and there are just issues. I mean, otherwise, why would Notre Dame not have a medical school??? I still feel starting up a DO program with roots like this is a positive/responsible thing.
 
Hmm, that actually is a good point. My guess would be that med schools (MD and DO) have tried to do this with certain schools, and there are just issues. I mean, otherwise, why would Notre Dame not have a medical school??? I still feel starting up a DO program with roots like this is a positive/responsible thing.
Much more responsible than the last several schools...
 
I personally think a new medical school is not the answer, but establishing a variety of osteopathic residencies (non primary care) would be at this place, as DO students are in dire need of some AOA residency slots that aren't primary care related.
 
Hmm, that actually is a good point. My guess would be that med schools (MD and DO) have tried to do this with certain schools, and there are just issues. I mean, otherwise, why would Notre Dame not have a medical school??? I still feel starting up a DO program with roots like this is a positive/responsible thing.

Notre Dame's campus serves as a branch campus for the Indiana University School of Medicine so I doubt they will get their own anytime soon.
 
Notre Dame's campus serves as a branch campus for the Indiana University School of Medicine so I doubt they will get their own anytime soon.

Yeah, that was the type of situation I was talking about.
 
I personally think a new medical school is not the answer, but establishing a variety of osteopathic residencies (non primary care) would be at this place, as DO students are in dire need of some AOA residency slots that aren't primary care related.

It sounds like they do plan on starting non-PC AOA residencies with the school.
 
That's all well and good, but you know what irks me... why isn't COCA trying to develop new DO schools that are affiliated with already-established academic institutions? I mean, think about how many major universities exist that don't yet have a medical school associated with them... Notre Dame, Colorado State, Arizona State, Villanova, etc... All these new branches opening up just seem more like a "franchise" to me. Sure, this puts more DOs into the physician workforce, but does nothing to elevate the reputation of DOs, and does not favor research or the advancement of medicine.

This is an excellent question. In my opinion, it is strictly about money. These are businesses that are making millions and millions of dollars - despite being "non-profit". Just ask to see the COM's expense. I've heard some include personal jets for one of the school's presidents to visit branch campus(es) :rolleyes: I don't think the salary and expenses some of the businesses/COMs rack up would be accepted in the setting of a reputable university, defeating the purpose of many of these new schools.
 
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