Though critics are concerned about the functionality of Idaho's newly announced medical school, the school's new dean believes he can mitigate potential problems, according to Boise State Public Radio.
In late February, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R) announced the state will have its own medical school: the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. But many — including the Idaho Medical Association and renowned Idaho physician Ted Epperly, MD — are worried the state won't have enough residency spots for its medical students.
Idaho currently has 41 residency spots, which are already difficult to obtain due to heightened competition. "The development of residency programs ... is hard work. It takes several years to do," Robert Hasty, DO, the first dean of the proposed medical school, told Boise State Public Radio.
Indeed, the medical school won't earn full accreditation unless it creates a decade-long plan for filling residency positions. The school "must have a 98 percent placement of [its] graduates to residency programs upon graduation," according to Dr. Hasty.
But Dr. Hasty believes he can help solve the problem.
He has a strong track record. While in his previous position at Lillington, N.C.-based Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, he helped create 383 new residency positions in 20 programs at seven different organizations. "Those are the types of things we're going to do here," he said, according to Boise State Public Radio.
Dr. Hasty claims having a medical school in the state will play a key role in creating residency positions, primarily through two key ways: The medical school giving technical advice to potential residency programs, and the medical school granting capital to hospitals to begin residency programs.