Q

Now that the President's Advisory Council on Future Growth in the Health Professions has issued its report to President Dynes, what’s the next step in growing our health sciences programs?

A

President Dynes is carefully reviewing the findings and recommendations of the council. From there, the Office of the President will begin to put in place a strategy of growth to take before the regents. In addition, we’ve already begun work in a number of areas. Under the upcoming budget for UC we have asked for our PRIME-LC program to grow by 12 students. Another thing we’re excited about is our new nursing programs have just been launched at UC Irvine and UCLA and will help generate a significant number of bachelor’s-level nursing graduates, as well as masters and doctorate-level nurses. An expansion of entry-level master’s programs is also planned at UC San Francisco and UCLA.

Q

How important is it for the University of California to grow its health science education programs?

A

It’s extremely important for a number of reasons. The University of California plays a unique and critical role in health sciences education; more than two-thirds of all medical students in California are enrolled in UC medical schools and nearly half of all medical residents in the state are trained in UC-based and UC-affiliated programs.

With the exception of the new UC San Diego School of Pharmacy, which admitted its first class of 25 students in 2002, and the new PRIME-LC program at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, which admitted eight new first-year students in 2004, there has been essentially no growth in UC health professions programs for nearly 30 years. Meanwhile, California’s population has increased by more than 68 percent, or more than 15 million.

Q

Why did President Dynes appoint the council?

A

The council’s appointment comes on the heels of the work of a 14-member Universitywide Health Sciences Committee (HSC), which found severe statewide shortages in several major health professions. In order to assist President Dynes with mapping out UC’s priorities for growth, the Council was formed. Co-chaired by Provost Hume and Regent Sherry Lansing, the council was charged with reviewing the work of HSC and developing a new system-wide health sciences enrollment plan through the year 2020.

Q

There’s been a lot of focus on medicine and nursing, but what about the other programs? What does the advisory council say about public health, veterinary, and pharmacy?

A

The council would like to see a nearly 100 percent increase in pharmacy doctoral student enrollments by 2020 (currently we have 596 students in our programs); more than 180 percent increase in master student enrollment by 2020 for our public health programs at UCSF and UC San Diego; and approximately 30 new veterinary medical students per year or nearly 120 new students across all four years, beginning as early as 2008, if possible. They also support the school’s planned enrolment increase of 20 new veterinary residents per year. That increase is expected to also begin in 2008.