Post by FIUBlue82 on Feb 7, 2008 9:41:41 GMT -5
Great story and another great accomplishment by our young university.
www.miamiherald.com/recruiting/story/409460.html
EDUCATION
FIU medical school to be biomedicine magnet
Florida International University got the preliminary green light for its medical school, a milestone that could help make the area a magnet for biomedicine.
Posted on Thu, Feb. 07, 2008
BY ERIKA BERAS AND OSCAR CORRAL
ocorral@MiamiHerald.com
Aymara Fernandez, a pre-med senior at Florida International University with a 3.9 grade point average, has already started writing letters for her application to medical school. Her first choice: FIU.
The young university, not yet 40 years old, reached an enormous milestone Tuesday when the Liaison Committee for Medical Education, a national professional board, awarded preliminary accreditation to its medical school. The birth of FIU's College of Medicine could remake the face of medical care, research and education in South Florida, and more immediately, promises to open a more affordable door for aspiring physicians.
''I want to be a doctor,'' said Fernandez, 21, who came to Miami from Cuba 10 years ago and works two jobs. ``First and foremost, I want to apply to FIU.''
FIU can now start recruiting students for its first medical school class in Fall 2009.
RECONCILIATION
In a related development, the man who once pledged the biggest donation ever to FIU -- a $20 million contribution to the medical school -- then withdrew it after a dispute with FIU President Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique, is now back in the picture.
Herbert Wertheim, an optical equipment magnate whose rescinded pledge would have attracted another $20 million in matching funds and put his name on the medical school, made a surprise appearance at a news conference at FIU Wednesday afternoon.
Although no money was discussed Wednesday, Wertheim promised to support the school.
''I know a few of you are surprised to see me here,'' he said. ``I'm surprised to see me here also. This was not an easy task. 10 years ago, we started planning this. I apologize for allowing my feelings to be hurt. I'm here to help and support FIU.''
After the applause died down, Maidique replied, ``It's great to have you back. We love you, and you know that . . . like in all families, even in the best families, there are misunderstandings. You have always been one of our biggest supporters.''
FIU's medical program, which will cost students about half as much as the University of Miami's in tuition, will begin with about 40 students, and eventually grow to about 400. FIU must still reach other accreditation milestones in the next few years, but university executives say the preliminary accreditation is the most difficult and important part of the process.
''We are just starting the process,'' said FIU medical school Dean John Rock. ``We are prepared to accept applications and to send applications out.''
FIU's is now among only a handful of medical schools that have received accreditation in the United States in the past 20 years.
''The preliminary accreditation of the medical school is certainly, in the 22 years since I've been president, the greatest moment in our history,'' Maidique said in an interview late Tuesday. ``We've become part of a very special group, one of 126 American universities that have medical schools. It is a fundamental piece of becoming a major urban public university.''
BIOMEDICAL INDUSTRY
With Miami already attracting interest from the biomedical field, a second medical school provides an exclamation mark on area leaders' design to make South Florida a major hub for the industry, university executives said.
University of Miami President Donna Shalala congratulated FIU and said she ''fully expected'' the medical school to get clearance. ''Education is a wonderful economic engine, and these are the best investments we can make for the future,'' Shalala said, adding in a statement that, ``We are looking forward to a long partnership and collaboration with the FIU College of Medicine in making Miami a medical destination and the epicenter for the United States bio-economy.''
FIU is planning to introduce a new concept in medical education by pairing up students with families from around South Florida for several years to serve as their health consultants, said Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Jr., one of the medical school's co-founders. They will look for applicants who are multilingual, Rock said. The university has already signed working agreements with Jackson North Medical Center, Mount Sinai Medical and Miami Children's Hospital.
Rock said fundraising for the medical school will be important as the medical school moves forward. The new program will eventually double FIU's overall budget.
Still, Rock said he is not worried about funding, despite state budget cutbacks for higher education.
''We are confident that the legislature and the governor will support developing these programs to increase the number of physicians in the state,'' Rock said, ``to meet the needs of Florida in a crisis situation where there is a physician shortage.''
www.miamiherald.com/recruiting/story/409460.html
EDUCATION
FIU medical school to be biomedicine magnet
Florida International University got the preliminary green light for its medical school, a milestone that could help make the area a magnet for biomedicine.
Posted on Thu, Feb. 07, 2008
BY ERIKA BERAS AND OSCAR CORRAL
ocorral@MiamiHerald.com
Aymara Fernandez, a pre-med senior at Florida International University with a 3.9 grade point average, has already started writing letters for her application to medical school. Her first choice: FIU.
The young university, not yet 40 years old, reached an enormous milestone Tuesday when the Liaison Committee for Medical Education, a national professional board, awarded preliminary accreditation to its medical school. The birth of FIU's College of Medicine could remake the face of medical care, research and education in South Florida, and more immediately, promises to open a more affordable door for aspiring physicians.
''I want to be a doctor,'' said Fernandez, 21, who came to Miami from Cuba 10 years ago and works two jobs. ``First and foremost, I want to apply to FIU.''
FIU can now start recruiting students for its first medical school class in Fall 2009.
RECONCILIATION
In a related development, the man who once pledged the biggest donation ever to FIU -- a $20 million contribution to the medical school -- then withdrew it after a dispute with FIU President Modesto ''Mitch'' Maidique, is now back in the picture.
Herbert Wertheim, an optical equipment magnate whose rescinded pledge would have attracted another $20 million in matching funds and put his name on the medical school, made a surprise appearance at a news conference at FIU Wednesday afternoon.
Although no money was discussed Wednesday, Wertheim promised to support the school.
''I know a few of you are surprised to see me here,'' he said. ``I'm surprised to see me here also. This was not an easy task. 10 years ago, we started planning this. I apologize for allowing my feelings to be hurt. I'm here to help and support FIU.''
After the applause died down, Maidique replied, ``It's great to have you back. We love you, and you know that . . . like in all families, even in the best families, there are misunderstandings. You have always been one of our biggest supporters.''
FIU's medical program, which will cost students about half as much as the University of Miami's in tuition, will begin with about 40 students, and eventually grow to about 400. FIU must still reach other accreditation milestones in the next few years, but university executives say the preliminary accreditation is the most difficult and important part of the process.
''We are just starting the process,'' said FIU medical school Dean John Rock. ``We are prepared to accept applications and to send applications out.''
FIU's is now among only a handful of medical schools that have received accreditation in the United States in the past 20 years.
''The preliminary accreditation of the medical school is certainly, in the 22 years since I've been president, the greatest moment in our history,'' Maidique said in an interview late Tuesday. ``We've become part of a very special group, one of 126 American universities that have medical schools. It is a fundamental piece of becoming a major urban public university.''
BIOMEDICAL INDUSTRY
With Miami already attracting interest from the biomedical field, a second medical school provides an exclamation mark on area leaders' design to make South Florida a major hub for the industry, university executives said.
University of Miami President Donna Shalala congratulated FIU and said she ''fully expected'' the medical school to get clearance. ''Education is a wonderful economic engine, and these are the best investments we can make for the future,'' Shalala said, adding in a statement that, ``We are looking forward to a long partnership and collaboration with the FIU College of Medicine in making Miami a medical destination and the epicenter for the United States bio-economy.''
FIU is planning to introduce a new concept in medical education by pairing up students with families from around South Florida for several years to serve as their health consultants, said Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Jr., one of the medical school's co-founders. They will look for applicants who are multilingual, Rock said. The university has already signed working agreements with Jackson North Medical Center, Mount Sinai Medical and Miami Children's Hospital.
Rock said fundraising for the medical school will be important as the medical school moves forward. The new program will eventually double FIU's overall budget.
Still, Rock said he is not worried about funding, despite state budget cutbacks for higher education.
''We are confident that the legislature and the governor will support developing these programs to increase the number of physicians in the state,'' Rock said, ``to meet the needs of Florida in a crisis situation where there is a physician shortage.''
