profession
New California medical school opening postponed
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 25, 2011
The opening of a California medical school is being delayed due to state funding issues, school officials said.
The University of California, Riverside School of Medicine was to open in the fall of 2012 (link). But $650 million in state cuts for the entire University of California system next fiscal year means the school must wait to appeal the Liaison Committee on Medical Education's decision not to grant preliminary accreditation. The cuts are expected to delay its opening by one year.
"While deeply disappointing, I am not disillusioned by this outcome, because it is occurring in a very difficult economic time," Chancellor Timothy P. White, PhD, said in a June 29 statement. "No one has spoken against the merits of our school of medicine. This is a temporary setback, but we will prevail."
The school cannot accept student applications, but hired staff will continue to work. One other California school -- California Northstate University College of Medicine in Rancho Cordova -- is seeking LCME accreditation.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/07/25/prbf0725.htm.
