News
Apr 18 2008
JSU continues medical school feasibility study
Jackson State University is proceeding with conducting a feasibility study about opening an osteopathic medical school, but the commissioner of higher education said the school won't open one.
Tom Meredith said the University of Mississippi Medical Center will continue to be Mississippi's only state-funded medical school.
"Our board has indicated its efforts will be focused on the University of Mississippi Medical Center for medical care," Meredith said.
Congress recently awarded JSU $14.2 million in earmarks, including $478,492 from the U.S. Department of Education to examine the feasibility of opening an osteopathic medical school.
Lanier Avant, spokesman for 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who sponsored the earmark, said it was the congressman's intent to possibly see a medical school at JSU.
"The study is being conducted by JSU and whatever flows from the study, it's just common sense that it's still (at) JSU," Avant said.
"The goal is to increase university capacity within the state and Jackson State is as strategically positioned to do the job as any other university in the state."
After The Clarion-Ledger ran a story about the feasibility study, Meredith wrote a letter to the editor saying he had spoken with JSU President Ronald Mason and "it has become clear that Jackson State has no intention of pursuing such a school; it simply agreed to conduct a feasibility study for the state at the request of Mississippi's 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson."
Avant said Thompson was upset by Meredith's letter.
"The first time the Congressman heard that Jackson State was not interested in this was in Dr. Meredith's letter," Avant said.
But Meredith says the study is not a waste of taxpayer money.
"A congressman desires to have a feasibility study done, and he's asking the university to do that. That's not a problem," Meredith said.
What happens with the information discovered in the study is up to the state College Board, Mason said.
"I think there are enough health issues in Mississippi to learn as much as we can about solving the problem," Mason said.
At least portions of each county in the state are medically underserved to some degree.
In addition to addressing that, Felix Okojie, vice president of research and professor of public health and education at JSU, earlier said opening a medical school also might increase the number of minorities going into the medical field.
Okojie would not comment Thursday.
William Carey recently announced plans to open a medical school.
Okojie had said JSU might try to see how it could work with the private school's medical program.
UMC had created a plan to expand the number of students in its program, but hasn't been able to fund the effort.
"If there is funding available to do some more expansion of medical care in the state, we have a medical center ready to do that," Meredith said.
Dan Jones, vice chancellor for health affairs at UMC and dean of the medical school, would not comment.
To comment on this story, call LaRaye Brown at (601) 961-7280.
Tom Meredith said the University of Mississippi Medical Center will continue to be Mississippi's only state-funded medical school.
"Our board has indicated its efforts will be focused on the University of Mississippi Medical Center for medical care," Meredith said.
Congress recently awarded JSU $14.2 million in earmarks, including $478,492 from the U.S. Department of Education to examine the feasibility of opening an osteopathic medical school.
Lanier Avant, spokesman for 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who sponsored the earmark, said it was the congressman's intent to possibly see a medical school at JSU.
"The study is being conducted by JSU and whatever flows from the study, it's just common sense that it's still (at) JSU," Avant said.
"The goal is to increase university capacity within the state and Jackson State is as strategically positioned to do the job as any other university in the state."
After The Clarion-Ledger ran a story about the feasibility study, Meredith wrote a letter to the editor saying he had spoken with JSU President Ronald Mason and "it has become clear that Jackson State has no intention of pursuing such a school; it simply agreed to conduct a feasibility study for the state at the request of Mississippi's 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson."
Avant said Thompson was upset by Meredith's letter.
"The first time the Congressman heard that Jackson State was not interested in this was in Dr. Meredith's letter," Avant said.
But Meredith says the study is not a waste of taxpayer money.
"A congressman desires to have a feasibility study done, and he's asking the university to do that. That's not a problem," Meredith said.
What happens with the information discovered in the study is up to the state College Board, Mason said.
"I think there are enough health issues in Mississippi to learn as much as we can about solving the problem," Mason said.
At least portions of each county in the state are medically underserved to some degree.
In addition to addressing that, Felix Okojie, vice president of research and professor of public health and education at JSU, earlier said opening a medical school also might increase the number of minorities going into the medical field.
Okojie would not comment Thursday.
William Carey recently announced plans to open a medical school.
Okojie had said JSU might try to see how it could work with the private school's medical program.
UMC had created a plan to expand the number of students in its program, but hasn't been able to fund the effort.
"If there is funding available to do some more expansion of medical care in the state, we have a medical center ready to do that," Meredith said.
Dan Jones, vice chancellor for health affairs at UMC and dean of the medical school, would not comment.
To comment on this story, call LaRaye Brown at (601) 961-7280.
