We can’t wait any longer, state must get started on med school at UC Merced

Over the last decade, there has been a shortage of doctors in the Central Valley of California. California has some of the top medical schools in the nation, however they are unable to supply enough doctors for the state’s growing population. With over 12 medical schools in California, and plans for opening two osteopathic medical schools in Fresno by 2020, experts fear a shortage of almost 5,000 doctor by 2025.

The only way to decrease this shortage is to open medical schools in the Valley and train students who are likely to stay in the region.

For the last six years, there have been tentative plans circulating to add an allopathic medical school to UC Merced. The campus is ready for it, but lacks initial funding.

If there were medical schools in the Valley, the physician shortage could subside. The state of California should allocate specific funding to UC Merced for a medical school. Bringing new doctors to Central California will improve the quality of life for its residents. Who knows the problems of Central California better than the future doctors who were raised here?

This story was originally published May 17, 2018 at 12:30 PM with the headline "We can’t wait any longer, state must get started on med school at UC Merced."