New York City-based Manipal Education Americas, a for-profit education services management company, is looking to build its first medical school in the United States in Missoula, Mont., according to the Independent Record.
Manipal, which calls itself "one of the largest owners and operators of medical schools in the world," currently heads up schools in Antigua, India, Malaysia and Nepal.
The company is hoping to open the Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2017 or 2018. The medical school would enroll 150 students per year.
"We think this presents a tremendous economic opportunity for our community," said James Grunke, president and CEO of the Missoula Economic Partnership. However, Mr. Grunke also said the opportunity comes with "grave concerns," including the caliber of graduates and the capacity for residencies and clinical clerkships in Missoula.
Nevertheless, Neal Simon of Manipal believes the city is a prime location. There are currently no medical schools in Montana, and Missoula already has a university — the University of Montana — that currently offers residencies.
"I don't want to just have a medical school in Montana," Mr. Simon said. "I want to have one of the best medical schools in the United States in Montana."