Brevard County’s first medical school will launch in summer 2024 at the Florida Institute of Technology campus in Melbourne.
At 11 a.m., Florida Tech and Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine officials were scheduled to make a “major joint announcement” on the venture during a press event at Florida Tech’s Denius Student Center.
Both schools have entered into an affiliation agreement to establish a four-year osteopathic medical school at Florida Tech’s L3Harris Commons via a sublease agreement. Burrell College is a private medical school that launched in 2013 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The inaugural class of 100 students at the new medical school is expected to enroll in July 2024 and graduate in May 2028.
More:Florida Tech, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine to make ‘major joint announcement’
More:Florida Tech will soon announce partnership with medical school, interim president says
“We are excited about our proposed new campus in affiliation with Florida Tech. Over the past three years, we have operated a regional academic center in Brevard County for our medical students’ clinical clerkship rotations; 34 of our third- and fourth-year students are currently conducting these rotations,” Burrell College President and CEO John Hummer said in a Thursday press release.
“Based upon the success of this regional academic center and the positive relationships established with key stakeholders, the natural next step was to develop an additional four-year medical school location in Florida,” Hummer said.
In a relationship similar to its partnership with New Mexico State University, Burrell College’s Melbourne-based students will use Florida Tech’s libraries, fitness centers, student health services, housing and other facilities.
In addition, Florida Tech pre-med students will be guaranteed admission into Burrell College if they meet established academic criteria.
In the press release, the universities detailed the demand for medical school graduates:
- Florida will be short about 18,000 physicians by 2035, the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida and Florida Hospital Association reported.
- Only 32% of Florida’s population has adequate primary care — and nearly half of primary-care physicians are expected to retire in 15 to 20 years, the Association of American Medical Colleges reported.
- As of 2021, AAMC found 47% of Florida-based medical school graduates practiced medicine in Florida, while 79% of physicians who completed both medical school and residencies in Florida remained in the state to practice.
“We desperately need the next generation of highly trained physicians around Florida and across our nation,” Florida Tech Interim President Robert King said in the press release.
“This affiliation with the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine allows Florida Tech and its students to be part of the solution to one of the biggest challenges facing our society today — ensuring adequate access to high-quality medical professionals. We are excited about the prospects,” King said.
Check back for updates.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1
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