A-State Hosts Summit on Graduate Medical Education
Arkansas State University hosted a summit on the subject of Graduate Medical Education on Oct. 16, 2014.
Speakers ranging from the New York Institute of Technology to the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences, along with experts from around the country including George Washington University and the Arkansas Department of Health, discussed the challenges to expanding GME to increase medical care for Arkansans.
Among the notable presenters were Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, vice president for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs from NYIT. Dr. Ross-Lee is also the site dean for the NYIT at Arkansas State’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Across the six sessions, the common theme emerged from all presenters: the state of Arkansas is in need of additional graduate medical education slots. Many solutions were advocated, with the goal of increasing the number of doctors available to alleviate the medically underserved areas of the state.
Ray Hanley, president and CEO of the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, joined with event moderator Paul Umbach of national consulting firm Tripp Umbach, which is one of the leaders in the medical education area, to discuss the physician shortage nationwide.
Discussion on the funding, financing and governance of GME was provided by Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, the Murdock head professor of medicine and public policy at George Washington University; Dr. Atul Grover, chief Public Policy officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges; and Dr. Debra Weinstein, vice president for GME at Partners HealthCare System.
A panel discussion on the political and policy perspectives of GME development in Arkansas included United States Congressman Rick Crawford from Arkansas’ First District; Dr. Nathaniel Smith, director and state health officer for the Arkansas Department of Health; and Dr. Joseph Bates, deputy state health officer and chief science officer from ADH.
A perspective of GME included presentations from Dr. Dan Rahn, UAMS chancellor; Dr. John Bulger, the chief quality officer of Geisinger Health System of Pennsylvania; Dr. Kenneth Heiles, vice president and dean of the proposed Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine; and Dr. Bruce Dubin, executive vice president for Academic Affairs, provost and dean of the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The closing panel looked at a united pathway to GME accreditation and included Adrienne White-Faines, executive director and CEO of the American Osteopathic Association; Dr. Thomas Nasca, CEO of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; and Dr. Boyd Buser, vice president for Health Affairs and dean of the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine and the vice president for Health Services of the University of Pikeville.
