There are just two medical schools in the D/FW area, but that will soon change thanks to a collaboration between two Fort Worth institutions.
Texas Christian University and UNT Health Science Center officially announced plans on Monday to develop a new medical school which will offer MD degrees.
It's something both schools have looked at and sought since 2008 to 2009. Mayor Betsy Price says she's been working on the medical school for the last two years, but that six to eight months ago is finally when the two universities started talking about working together.
"I think it's a wonderful addition for the city, but moreover, it's a wonderful addition to the academic program of both universities," said Victor Boschini, TCU Chancellor.
TCU has it's nursing school and UNTHSC has several schools, including the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. TCOM awards graduates DO degrees, a doctorate of osteopathic medicine, and is presently forbidden by state law to issue MD degrees.
"We wouldn't have our name on the diploma, we're not, until state law allows us to," said Michael Williams, UNTHSC president
Williams indicated that the medical school will wait until the legislature acts. Mayor Price said the city would support that move, if such support was needed.
On Monday, officials from both schools officially signed a memorandum of understanding, which lead to the next step in the collaboration process. A steering committee will be appointed with representatives from both schools to develop the plans of the new medical program.
Eventually, a medical school management committee will be assembled to help manage the school. The school will have courses on both universities' campuses and use faculty from both as well.
"We're going to look for the best ways to officially use assets between the two of us, to grow and enhance our current assets," Williams said.
The universities already collaborate on coursework and program with existing programs, so it was a natural growth of that cooperation Williams and Boschini said. Starting a medical school from scratch would have been extremely costly, with Williams putting the number near $1 billion.
Instead, start-up costs will come from a private endowment of $75 million. No building costs are necessary, as existing facilities will be used.
There have been some concerns expressed on social media about the new MD school negatively impacting the existing DO medical school. But Williams says the only impacts will be positive.
"We would have only done this if we thought this was going to enhance the DO program, as well as all of our programs," he said.
Officials say the program won't just benefit the schools, but the students and the entire state.
In a UNT System Board of Regents meeting on Monday morning, Williams said there will be a doctor shortage of 6,500 by 2030.
"Texas has a huge shortage of physicians and Fort Worth needs an MD school," Mayor Price said. "We have a fabulous DO school and they'll just compliment each other."
Doctors are also known to stick around the area where they went to school, also benefiting the community.
The school will be called the TCU-UNT Health Science Center College of Medicine. The only other medical school that issues MD degrees in the metroplex is UT Southwestern Medical School.
Students can apply for enrollment starting in fall 2017 and the first 60 doctors will be on the two campuses by fall 2018. Fort Worth is the largest city in Texas currently without an MD medical school.
