VA. MEDICAL SCHOOL TAKES SHAPE

Kaine to announce plan for Roanoke-area school to help prevent lack of
physicians

By Tammie Smith And Michael Hardy

Times-Dispatch Staff Writers

FAST FACT The Association of American Medical Colleges has recommended
that enrollment in U.S. medical schools be increased 30 percent by 2015 to
avoid shortages.

To meet projected needs for more doctors, a medical school is being
planned for the Roanoke area.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will join Virginia Tech and Carilion Health
System officials today to announce plans for the school.

"The governor is excited about this proposal and sees the proposed
medical school as a very positive development for Virginia Tech, Carilion and
for the Roanoke Valley," said Kevin Hall, Kaine's press secretary.

Officials at Virginia Tech and Carilion would not comment or could not
be reached yesterday.

The new school is expected to address future shortages of physicians in
the area, boost the local economy, and attract technology firms and an
educated work force.

The school is expected to have about 30 students in its first class in
2009.

Virginia has four medical schools: Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Medicine in Richmond, the University of Virginia School of Medicine
in Charlottesville, Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk and the
Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg.

"There is a growing shortage of physicians nationally, we know that,"
said Dr. Arthur Garson Jr., dean of the U.Va. School of Medicine and a vice
president at the university. "We at U.Va. are planning a 10 [percent]
to 15 percent increase in our class size as soon as we finish construction of
a new medical education building."

The Association of American Medical Colleges has recommended that
enrollment in U.S. medical schools be increased 30 percent by 2015 to avoid
shortages. A year earlier, the association was proposing a 15 percent enrollment
increase to prevent shortages.

"I believe that the way the country can get to 30 percent is by
increasing class size in some schools and adding schools. I applaud Virginia Tech
and Carilion for taking this step," Garson said.

It is not clear if state funds will be re quested for the project.

"Starting a new medical school is extraordinaril y expensive if you do
it right," said Dr. Sheldon Retchin, chief executive officer of the VCU
Health System and VCU vice president for health sciences. VCU School of
Medicine established a Northern Virginia Division several years ago, partnering
with Inova Health System.

"Otherwise, you can end up years down the line with a medical school
that could struggle," Retchin said. "We devote enormous amounts of funding,
support from our hospitals, indirectly, towards expenditures that
support the medical schools. It takes recruiting enormous numbers of faculty."

The Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, funded in part
with private foundation dollars, opened to students in the fall of 2003. Its
focus is on training doctors to work in rural areas. The school  collaborates
with Virginia Tech.

Carilion Health System operates several hospitals in the Roanoke area,
including Roanoke Community Hospital, Roanoke Memorial Hospital,
Carilion Medical Center for Children and New River Valley Medical Center.

The health system's hospitals provide training for medical residents,
doctors who have finished medical school and are getting clinical
training in specialty areas.

The announcement is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Riverside Centre for
Research and Technology, at Jefferson Street and Reserve Avenue, in
Roanoke.

An Association of American Medical Colleges report notes that
nationally 20 new medical schools and five new branches/campuses of existing medical
schools were being proposed. Estimated startup costs of projects ranged
as high as $250 million.