Sign up for 5280's weekly e-newsletters. Want the latest restaurant scoop? The latest happenings around town? Access to exclusive events and deals just for 5280 readers? The University of Colorado’s School of Medicine, housed at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, is “a world-class operation,” says university president Bruce Benson. Yet, it is “terribly, terribly underfunded,” and as a result, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, a national body that evaluates medical schools, has listed the school as a concern.
If funding doesn’t improve, CU’s medical school could lose its accreditation, writes The Denver Post, and without a degree from an accredited school, graduates can’t get licenses to practice. The school, according to CU officials, is at or near the bottom of a list of 80 publicly funded medical schools nationwide ranked by state support. In 2001, the level of state funding was $19.6 million, says Dr. Richard Krugman, the school’s dean.
Today the state of Colorado pitches in just $12.3 million—which is supplemented by $5.5 million from tobacco tax money and limited federal stimulus funds. A lack of diversity within the school’s 600 students and the need for more scholarship money are also concerns.
Unfortunately for the state, money remains tight. The higher-education picture doesn’t look good for any school, particularly Fort Lewis College, which would be the “biggest loser” in a proposal being considered by lawmakers. The school is pleading with lawmakers after being slated to lose 31 percent of its state funding, reports the Durango Herald.
Posted 12/3/2009 at 1:00 pm by Michael de Yoanna
Economy, Education, Health and Environment, Panorama, Politics :: Permalink :: Comments (3)
Well, maybe the reason there is a lack of diversity is because the school is making no efforts to attract minorities. I know a current minority undergrad student at CU Denver who went to a counselor to inquire about admission into CU’s medical school and she was blown away by his total lack of interest or encouragement in providing information about the program.
once again, the point is being missed– people should be admitted because of ability, not because of diversity– should students be recruited because of diversity who do not have appropriate credentials???
The statement that the LCME has listed the CU medical school as a concern is untrue.
What is true is that the LCME listed the lack of state funding as an area of concern for CU.
This is an important distinction, because the accreditation process also looks at quality of education, in which CU med is held in high regard by the LCME. The school itself has not been listed as a concern. Please read the article from the source (Denver Post), and the follow up editorial in the DP, to get the facts