EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY . SCHOOL OF MEDICINE GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 27834 February 4, 1971 P. O. Box 2701 Tel. (919) 758-6008 Office of The Dean The Honorable Robert W. Scott Governor of North Carolina Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 Dear Governor Scott: Attached is the Report of the Survey by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to the East Carolina University School of Medi- cine October 11-13, 1970. The Report represents an objective evaluation of the steps taken by the State of North Carolina and East Carolina University in developing the two-year medical school. Because of the authorizing actions of the 1965 and 1967 General Assemblies, the planning and development appropriation of the 1969 General Assembly, the presence of Dr. Wallace Wooles and his core faculty associates, and your June 24, 1970 letter to Dr. C. H. W. Ruhe; the medical program was recognized officially by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education as a "medical school in development" in July, 1970. Thus it joined several newly develop- ing schools across the country whose states have taken similar steps. The East Carolina Medical School has achieved national visibility since July, 1970. Two recent reports on expansion of medical education in the U. S. recognize our school among those now in. development and call for the establishment of nine to twelve more across the country. This information is contained in the Carnegie Commission Report on Medical Education and in the Report on Expansion of Medical Education of the Association of American Medical Association on November 27, 1970, along with those of other developing schools. The School is a recognized entity in the offices of the several large foundations that traditionally support medical schools, as well as in the branches of the National Institute of Health concerned with federal support for medical education. It is ironic that such national visibility has been achieved while so little recognition of our current status has been communicated by the North Carolina press. Gov. Robert W. Scott -2- L February 1971 As a "School in Development", we were eligible to receive the advice, counsel, and informal and formal consultations from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. The next step towards accreditation comes immediately prior to entrance of the first class and after funding, when the University may formally request provisional accreditation. The following positive factors in the development of the school were found by the October evaluation: 1. That a clear: need exists to substantially increase the number of North Carolina students studying medicine since North Carolina ‘ranks 46th; among fifty states in the proportion of medical students to population; 2. That the school at East Carolina University will increase the interest and number of students in the study of medicine; 3. That regardless of the expansion of other North Carolina schools, a sufficient number of qualified applicants can be ex- pected; 4. That the school at East Carolina University will contribute to alleviating ane severe shortage of physicians in eastern North Carolina; 5. .—That the Pou ek laid by the North Carolina General Assembly - and the administration. of East Carolina University is impressive; 6. That the number and quality of the administrators and faculty, already employed and proposed, is Baptist 7. That the plans for the library are sound and the proposed operating budget is sound, reasonable, adequate and not excessive; 8. That the provision for acquisition and care of laboratory animals is sound; and 9. That the interim facilities are attractive and adequate for the size of the entering class. The Report lists the following needs which are largely contingent upon funding: Gov. Robert W. Scott ~3- . 4 February 1971 1. That additional recruitment of departmental chairmen and _. faculty-is needed; : 2. That the clinical arrangements for the Departments of Path- ology and Clinical Education need to be finalized; 3. That the acquisition of teaching materials must continue; and 4. That firm arrangements for transfer of our students to other schools, preferably in North Carolina, to complete their clinical training should continue. Tentative steps to implement these suggestions have been taken, including selection of chairmen for.each of the departmental ‘ vacancies and preliminary arrangements with schools in our southern © region to consider our students for transfer. We have not taken final action in these areas since definitive action would be pre- sumptuous prior to the action of the 1971 General Assembly. In like manner, we did not accept nor process any applications for an entering class in 1971 in the absence of an appropriated operating budget. Clearly, enrolling students into a program and subsequent accreditation requires an operating budget to provide the faculty and resources necessary. Obviously any appropriated budget could not be available until the adjournment of the present Session of the General Assembly. The additional highly qualified people could not be available on such short notice between budgetary approval and the start of a class in September 1971. Because of these facts, it was the opinion of the Liaison Committee that the current state of development of the medical education program of East Carolina University does not justify provisional accreditation to accept an entering class in 1971. . However, we have no doubt that if funding is provided by the 1971 General Assembly, qualified students can be enrolled, final staff appoint- ments made, and provisional accreditation obtained prior to the beginning of the 1972 academic session. The Report, in its final form, confines itself only to our present state of development. It does not contain any conjectural state- ment beyond 1971. We have ascertained that this is because the Liaison Committee, as a matter of policy, did not wish to inter- ject themselves into a decision that must be made only by the General Assembly. East Carolina University is deeply appreciative of your support and assistance'as we have worked long and hard toward establishing Gov. Robert W. Scott -),- 4, February 1971 the medical school. The attached Report is the unbiased evaluation of these efforts by recognized experts in medical education. ‘Sincerely yours, vf : Lyf | Edwin W. Monroe, M. D. Director of Health Affairs HK bh eu re pn ee - Wallace R. Wooles, Ph. D. Dean of Medicine