The Arizona Board of Trustees has called on Arizona State University to expand medical education in Arizona by launching a new medical school with a mission to address the critical and growing medical needs in the state.
The new ASU School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering integrates clinical medicine, biomedical sciences, and engineering, joining universities such as Texas A&M University and the University of Illinois that have established different types of medical schools.
Fred Duvall, incoming chairman of the Arizona Board of Trustees, said the move is an important step in the development of ASU and part of a statewide system of university initiatives to increase the state’s health care workforce. said there is.
“This is part of the most aggressive and comprehensive health plan in Arizona’s history,” Duvall said. “This includes significant growth and new investment by all three state universities, significant partnerships with the private sector, and support from government partners.”
ASU Chairman Michael Crow added:
“We have to produce knowledge on a scale that impacts society. university charter We are driven to take fundamental responsibility for the overall health of the communities we serve. This is an extension of that core belief. ”
new medical school headlines ASU Healtha “learning health ecosystem” created by the university to accelerate and focus health-related efforts to address the state’s urgent medical needs now and in the future.
Unlike traditional medical schools, ASU’s new medical school takes a different approach.
Clinical partnerships support both research and academic programs to deliver solutions that improve patient and medical outcomes.
“The interdisciplinary approach will bring together health sciences across the university and enable students to address complex medical problems,” said Nancy Gonzalez, Executive Vice-Chancellor and University President.
country in need
Arizona’s needs are staggering. The state ranks near or in the bottom quartile on many health system performance indicators, including 32nd overall, 44th in access and affordability, and 41st in prevention and treatment. increase.
Experts say the state’s population is steadily growing, exacerbating the problem, and Arizona faces a shortage of nearly all health care workers. The state needs to add an estimated 14,000 more nurses, enough to nearly fill the Phoenix Suns basketball arena to reach the national average.
Public health funding is 50% lower than the national average, and Arizona has fewer hospital beds per 1,000 population than the national average. There has already been significant turnover in the medical profession, and experts say the turnover rate for doctors and nurses will be impacted by approaching retirement over the next decade.
“We have an opportunity for change,” Crow said. “And over the past 20 years, ASU has proven that we know how to create transformational change at scale.”
part of a focused approach
While more details will be discussed in the coming months, ASU Health’s new initiative involves more than just a new medical school.
ASU will continue to work closely with Maricopa County and national healthcare partners to bring the best people, technology and research to efforts to improve health outcomes in Arizona.
And ASU’s longstanding relationship with the Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University Medical Alliancecontinues to expand through ASU Health Futures Center Located next to the Mayo Clinic’s North Phoenix Campus, discover oasis innovation zone Located next to Mayo Clinic Phoenix Hospital.
Learn more about Health.asu.edu.
