Last week, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R) announced the state will be getting its own private medical school: the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. But not everyone is pleased with that decision.
Although Gov. Otter claimed the school will assist in solving Idaho's physician shortage, Ted Epperly, MD, president and CEO of the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho, thinks otherwise, according to Boise State Public Radio.
Dr. Epperly expressed three primary concerns about the medical school.
1. It will not solve the physician shortage. The state of Idaho has 41 residency positions, all of which are difficult to get due to heightened competition. Dr. Epperly believes many of the Idaho School of Osteopathic Medicine graduates will leave the state for residency due to the few positions available, and that Idaho should attempt to expand existing and form new residency programs rather than open a new medical school.
2. There aren't enough clinical training sites. Approximately 300 third-year and fourth-year medical students will need to find training sites, and they'll have to share them with the nurse practitioner and physician assistant students. Due to limited clinical training sites, students will have a difficult time completing their degrees on time.
3. The school may not give preference to students from Idaho. Gov. Otter and other officials claimed that while analyzing applications, the Idaho School of Osteopathic Medicine will give preference to Idaho students. However, Dr. Epperly thinks otherwise. He believes the high volume of applicants from around the nation will prevent the school from giving preference to Idaho students.