GO PATS!

An independent study released today concludes that the University of Maine’s world-class education and research strengths uniquely position the institdution to improve health access and outcomes by establishing Maine’s first public medical school, but that limited financial and residency capacity in the state make doing so unfeasible at this time.

In response to a critical shortage of physicians in rural Maine and recognizing the University of Maine System’s (UMS) leadership in heal-related workfore development and research, the 131st Maine Legislature and Governor Janet Mills directed the System to explore the feasibility of establishing a public allopathic medical school in Penobscot County.

Through a competitive process, UMS selected Tripp Umbach, the nation’s leading medical education consultant to conduct the comprehensive study, which was informed by interviews with more than 60 Maine health care, higher education and life science research leaders and submitted to the Legislature on January 5.

The new report affirms Maine’s urgent physician workforce challenges, particularly in primary care and in rural communities, that are a result of the state having the oldest popularion in the nation, an aging physician workforce and limited medical residency and clinical training capacity.  Tripp Umbach additionally found that with no public medical school pathway, Maine produces only one-third the national average rate of M.D. school applicants by state and most graduated from the two private medical education programs in the state ultimately leave Maine to practice.

As the state’s only R1 research universiy and the flagship of Maine’s leading producer of health care professionals (UMS) is idenified by Tripp Umbach as the institution best suited to lead the future development of a public medical school, assuming a number of next strategic steps they outline are considered and implemented.  UMS is already authorized by status to operate a college of medicine and confer the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) though establishig a program would require approval by the System’s Board of Trustees through an inclusive public process.

Responders to a statewide stakeholder survey administered by Tripp – Umbach – most of them health care or community leaders – overwhelmingly agreed that Maine needs a public medical school and that it should be part of UMS, with the majority agreeing it would adress physician workforce shortages and improve health outcomes in underserved areas.

“Data indicate a need for a public medical school to provide an accessible pathway for Maine students to pursue high-quality, high-value medical education and then be retained to practice in the state,” writes Tripp Umbach.  “Stakeholders agree that UMaine should lead this initiative.”

“Maine needs more doctors and the University of Maine has a proven track record of preparing the professional workforce who competently care for Mainers and the cutting-edge research that is iproving heath outcomes statewide,” said Chancellor Dannel Malloy and UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, who also serves as the System’s Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation.