University of California Official Announces Support for Medical School at Riverside Campus

[CAL/AAEM News Service]

University of California Official Announces Support for Medical School at
Riverside Campus

Source: California Healthline (www.californiahealthline.org)
Date: December 13, 2004
 

University of California Vice President for Health Affairs Michael Drake on
Wednesday endorsed a plan to open a medical school at UC-Riverside after
meeting with UC-Riverside Chancellor France Cordova, the Riverside
Press-Enterprise reports. Drake oversees the five medical schools affiliated
with the UC system and is the main adviser to UC President Robert Dynes and the
Board of Regents on medical schools.

He said, "I am on board with the plan," adding, "I certainly understand that
this is an underserved area."


Reaction
Drake's endorsement is "a major deal," according to Thomas Haider, a leading
supporter of bringing a medical school to Riverside. Referring to the Board of
Regents and Dynes, Haider added, "They value his opinion."

Murray Haberman -- executive director of the California Postsecondary Education
Commission, which also must endorse the proposal -- said UC-Riverside must
demonstrate that a sixth medical school is needed and that graduates of such an
institution would likely remain in the medically underserved area, the
Press-Enterprise reports. "The question is, what is going to be the return to
the state," Haberman said.


Future Prospects
If the proposal gains support from Dynes, the Board of Regents and the
California Postsecondary Education Commission, the commission's recommendation
would go to state lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R).

However, the state budget deficit could "be an obstacle," the Press-Enterprise
reports. Haberman estimated that building a medical school would cost hundreds
of millions of dollars (Agha, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 12/9). 



=====
Cyrus Shahpar & Brian Potts 
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service 
UC-Irvine



		
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