$25 Million Gift, Largest in UNC History, Accelerates Plans for College of Osteopathic 医学
2023年10月10日
的 北科罗拉多大学’s vision to meet the critical and growing demand 因为全州的医生都得到了大力支持. 韦尔德信托公司 committed $25 million earmarked for the university’s proposed College of Osteopathic 医学. 这是学校历史上最大的一笔捐款，也是一次变革 investment that will support efforts to strengthen Colorado’s health care workforce 解决医生短缺的问题.
韦尔德信托 is a philanthropic foundation that awards grants to nonprofit organizations, schools and government entities toward programs and projects within health and education in 焊缝县. 该组织在其职权范围内具有特定的关键资助计划 包括支持重大资本项目的拨款.
“This grant is the single largest award to which 韦尔德信托公司 ever committed,” 威尔德信托公司董事会主席汤姆·格兰特说. “作为一个关注健康的组织 在教育方面，我们非常自豪和激动地将这笔赠款授予博天堂官方 整骨疗法的医学. 这么大的一个项目需要合作 为建立坚实的基础提供财政支持. 我们很荣幸得到 这一重大项目的资金正在进行中. 我们希望这所医学院能 ultimately create tremendous change for the medical field and in particular for our 当地社区.”
“Our proposed College of 整骨疗法的医学 will have an impact across each corner of the state by strengthening the health care workforce and meeting needs of Coloradans 到处都是.”
——安迪·范斯坦
UNC’s exploration into creating a College of 整骨疗法的医学 began in earnest in the spring of 2021 following conversations with leaders of local hospital systems 以及社区领袖. 这些对话是由对科罗拉多州的担忧推动的 growing need for more physicians and the university’s role in addressing that challenge.
“Since our founding in 1889, the 北科罗拉多大学 has made important contributions to meeting the state’s education and workforce needs,” said UNC President 安迪·范斯坦. “这包括在医疗保健和健康科学方面的卓越历史 比如我们的护理学院，培养了一代又一代的护士 我们今天. 随着我们州的不断发展，博天堂官方再次被要求解决一个 严重的劳动力短缺——这一次是医生，特别是那些专注于 农村地区的初级保健和实践.
“Together, with visionary health care and philanthropic leaders, like 韦尔德信托 and the Richardson family, UNC is prepared to answer that call again,” continued Feinstein. “Our proposed College of 整骨疗法的医学 will have an impact across each corner of the state by strengthening the health care workforce and meeting needs of Coloradans 到处都是.”
的 美国医学院协会 projects the United States will face a physician shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 by 2034. 劳动力短缺主要是由人口增长和老龄化加剧造成的 population, as well as an aging health care workforce, of which a significant number 会在未来几年达到退休年龄吗. 国家数据也反映了类似的情况 story closer to home, as local shortages are further fueled by Colorado’s population growth over the last decade, which was nearly double the national average, and the high percentage of active physicians aged 60 or older who are expected to exit the 未来几年的劳动力.
根据美国.S. 卫生资源和服务管理局，不到35% 科罗拉多州对医生的需求目前正在得到满足. 这是一个最明显的问题 in rural and underserved communities like 焊缝县 and so many others across the 状态，对获得护理产生负面影响. 此外，罗伯特·格雷厄姆中心 forecasts that by 2030, Colorado will need an additional 1,773 primary-care physicians, 自2010年以来增长了49%.
“韦尔德信托 specifically serves 焊缝县, which includes many rural communities,” 韦尔德信托公司的首席执行官杰夫·卡尔森解释道. “男女之间的差距越来越大 这些地区对医生的需求和供给. 如果博天堂官方招收学生 for the medical school and trains them in a rural environment, it increases the likelihood 他们在农村社区行医. 我们的目标是维尔德县社区 will have the local medical resources they need to be able to thrive,” said Carlson.
的se significant challenges, which will continue to escalate if not addressed, prompted 大学在考虑的过程中迈出了自己探索性的第一步 2021年11月进入医学院. 与一家独立咨询公司合作 firm that specializes in medical education consulting, and with the support of a lead 为探索送礼的想法，大学展开了可行性研究评估 market demand, economic impact and the capacity and commitment of health care providers 支持临床实习.
的 outcome of the study was clear – Colorado’s current medical education infrastructure doesn't produce enough physicians to meet current and future needs, nor does it support 对想要在该州接受医学教育的学生的需求. 这些研究结果, coupled with overwhelmingly supportive feedback from UNC’s community, stakeholders and health systems, as well as the university’s Board of Trustees, became the driving force behind the university’s efforts to answer the community’s call to act and begin 致力于创建一所骨科医学院.
UNC’s decision to focus on creating a college that grants Doctor of 整骨疗法的医学 (DO) degrees, as opposed to one that grants Doctor of 医学 (MD) degrees like the 科罗拉多大学医学院，是有意为之. 而这两个学位项目 lead to the practice of medicine as a physician, osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest-growing health care professions in the country and the field has a long tradition 在农村和服务不足的地区提供医疗服务，这是科罗拉多州需要的关键地区 医生现在. “一带一路”倡议还与中国的实力和深度保持一致，并在此基础上进一步发展 the university already has in its sciences and health sciences programs, including its nationally ranked nursing and public health programs, as well as other programs in behavioral sciences, biology, chemistry, audiology and speech-language pathology.
Over the past two years, the university has taken several important steps toward making 他们对新骨科医学院的设想 一个现实. 它已向整骨疗法委员会提交申请人身份 College 认证, received statutory authorization from the state to offer specialized 通过SB22-056法案的整骨医学学位课程，聘请了Dr. Beth Longenecker as founding dean for the proposed college and begun to secure the 三年级和四年级学生需要必要的临床轮转地点. 一个 接下来的关键步骤之一是确保所需的剩余资金 开设学院.
“I am grateful for the vision of the board and staff of 韦尔德信托 in making this 礼物. 他们的投资，以及其他当地慈善家的承诺，都发出了信号 a clear need that Colorado must prepare more doctors,” said Allie Steg Haskett, vice 博天堂官方教研部主席. “这个改变的礼物就是一个例子 当人们为了一个共同的目标走到一起时会发生什么.”
According to Feinstein, the university’s next steps include securing the remaining 为确定主要卫生保健伙伴的必要和持续工作提供资金.
“As we make progress toward opening the College of 整骨疗法的医学, we will look to stakeholders across the state, including our elected officials and leaders in medicine, 加入我们来满足这一重要需求，”范斯坦说道.
——迪安娜·赫伯特写
