The southeastern region of the state faces a significant shortage of physicians, and that leads to patients facing longer wait times for care, an overreliance on emergency departments and higher levels of hospitalizations. (File photo: States Newsroom)
University of North Carolina at Wilmington Chancellor Aswani Volety told members of the UNC System’s Board of Governors Wednesday that the time is right for his university to add an accredited four-year medical school with a three-year accelerated track.
The southeastern region of the state faces a significant shortage of physicians, and that leads to patients facing longer wait times for care, an overreliance on emergency departments and higher levels of hospitalizations.
“By 2030, North Carolina is projected to have a deficit of over 7,700 physician positions. This is on top of a growing state and aging demographics,” Volety told the board’s planning committee. “And despite being a fast-growing state, North Carolina ranks 40 out of 50th in medical students per capita.”
Six of the seven existing medical schools in North Carolina are located between I-77 and I-95. The closest medical program to Wilmington, at Eastern Carolina University, is over two hours away.
“Imagine taking an individual with deep roots in the community. They go to medical school in a place like Wilmington, they do their residency there. The odds of returning go up to 80%, as has been the case in other states,” said Volety. “So that is an approach we should be taking.”
At this point, UNC-Wilmington is just seeking authorization to begin the planning process. But on Wednesday, the idea received a strong endorsement from veteran state Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne).
“It’s not just going to benefit just our region. It’s going to benefit the entire state – and frankly, the entire eastern seaboard of our country,” said Bell. “It’s incredible what we can do when public and private and communities come together.”
Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne) (Photo: UNC livestream)Bell said he could personally relate to the physician shortage in rural eastern North Carolina, noting that he travels an hour and 25 minutes to see his own primary care doctor.
Volety said it has been more than 50 years since North Carolina launched a public medical school, and during that time, the state’s population has doubled to more than 11 million people. The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University was established in 1974.
Board of Governors member Reginald Holley praised the chancellor for bringing his vision to UNC system leaders.
“I also would attempt to speak for the men and women who are invisible, who don’t have the opportunity to sit around this table. Men and women of low income, men and women who hardly have the kind of access to the healthcare that we all enjoy,” said Holley. “What a time it will be for these men and women, if such a vision were to come to fruition in southeastern North Carolina. What a difference it would make.”
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The UNC System Board of Governors could give UNC-Wilmington the green light to move forward at its May meeting.
Volety pledged that he was prepared to secure a nine-figure gift towards the project.
“We already are working and have commitments from any number of healthcare organizations for clinical partnerships, clinical placements, residencies, so on and so forth,” said Volety. “The goal is to make sure that this proposal is fiscally responsible, and more importantly, sustainable.”
Volety predicted it would be a seven-year to eight-year process before the region would start to see the graduates.
“The need is there. The shortage is significant,” said Volety. “The best time to tackle any problem like this was yesterday. The second best time to do it is today.”
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