The UC Regents’ Committee on Educational Policy was presented today (Nov. 14) with a summary of findings and recommendations from the President’s Advisory Council on Future Growth in the Health Professions.

Co-chaired by Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Health Affairs Wyatt R. Hume and regent Sherry Lansing, the council was charged with reviewing the work of the university-wide Health Sciences Committee and developing a new systemwide health sciences enrollment plan, including recommended annual targets for growth by campus and professions through 2020.

The advisory council’s summary was presented by Hume and Cathryn Nation, UC’s executive director of Academic Health Sciences.

In its June 2005 report, the Health Sciences Committee findings noted a significant and growing need for health professionals in the state. Among the committee’s conclusions:

California is expected to face a shortfall of up to 17,000 physicians by 2015 due to overall population growth, an aging physician work force and the lack of growth in California medical education programs for more than three decades. California ranks 49 th in the nation in the number of nurses per capita. An April 2006 federal study predicts that California will face a shortfall of 47,600 nurses by 2010 and a total shortfall of 116,600 by 2020.   California currently ranks 43rd in the nation in the number of pharmacists per capita. As the population grows and ages, and as number of prescriptions written and dispensed continues to climb, the demand for pharmacists will continue to far outweigh supply.

“The advisory council’s report is an important step towards meeting the critical health work force needs of California,” said Hume. “I look forward to working with the regents as we bring forward proposals to addressing these issues.”

There has been no net increase in UC health sciences enrollment in more than 30 years, while California’s population has increased by 52percent over the same time period.

To meet the growing work force needs of California, the advisory council is recommending substantial growth in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and veterinary medicine. The council is recommending that current enrollments in UC schools of dentistry at UC San Francisco and UCLA and optometry at UC Berkeley be maintained.  

Recommendations from the advisory council include:

Medicine

The council recommends a 34 percent increase in medical student enrollments between the years 2005 and 2020. In addition, the council recommends a comparable increase in medical resident enrollments over the same period. Priority for growth in medicine should begin with existing UC schools and programs. The council is recommending that this growth begin with new Programs in Medical Education (PRIME) on all five campuses. The council recommends that planning continue toward the future establishment of at least one new UC school of medicine that would graduate its first class on or before 2020.

Nursing

Enrollment growth for nursing should be significant, the council recommends, with a growth in undergraduate nursing and a major focus on graduate education in nursing and the need to train increased numbers of future nursing school faculty. The advisory council recommends a 50 percent increase in master’s student enrollments between 2005-2010, a 25 percent increase between 2010-2015, and again through 2020. The council is recommending a 100 percent increase in doctoral student enrollments between 2005-2010; a 75 percent increase between 2010-2015; and a 50 percent increase between 2015-2020.

Pharmacy

The council recommends a nearly 100 percent increase in pharmacy doctoral student enrollments by 2020. For pharmacy residency program enrollments, the council also recommends a 100 percent increase in students over the same period.

Public health

An increase of more than 180 percent in master’s student enrollments by 2020, is an important step to responding to the serious and growing deficiencies in the state and national public health work force, the council recommends. The council also recommends parallel increases in doctoral student enrollments through 2020.

Veterinary medicine

The council recommends that the planned expansion of 29 new veterinary medical students begin as early as 2008, if possible. The council supports the planned enrollment increase of 20 new veterinary residents per year-60 students total A 95 percent increase in DVM student enrollments by 2020 is also supported by the council. The council also recommends that planning continue towards the founding of a new UC veterinary medicine program or school.

The advisory council’s full report will be available on the UC health sciences Web site at: www.ucop.edu/healthaffairs

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