STILLWATER Okla.
Regents governing Oklahoma
State University
plan to seek state funding to increase the number of students attending the OSU
medical school to help ease an expected rural doctor shortage.
OSU Center
for Health Sciences President John Fernandes on Friday predicted a shortage of
299 rural physicians by 2010.
“There’s no time to waste,” Fernandes told regents
during their monthly meeting. “There’s a lot of national data that we need
more doctors and health care professionals, and certainly in Oklahoma.”
Increasing class sizes from 88 to 115 would cost about $1.8
million the first year and $3.2 million to fully implement within four years,
Fernandes said. Existing classrooms and clinical space can support a larger
student population, but more faculty would have to be hired and labs would need
expansion.
More than 1,679 students applied to the school for the
upcoming year and 1,172 were found qualified. Just 88 were admitted.
OSU Regents plan to go to State Regents with their funding
request.
