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I believe Bangor and northern Maine need a medical school to grow our own physicians. There is a model for a medical degree program that the Bangor area might try to emulate.
Columbia-Bassett graduates 10 MDs a year. The medical students begin their didactic training at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. The bulk of the clinical training through the Bassett Medical System (which is similar to Northern Light and Covenant Health combined), occurs in Cooperstown, New York. Cooperstown is a regional center, like Bangor.
This hybrid model could work in Bangor. Columbia University provides the didactic training in the Cooperstown model. A New England university might fulfill the same function as Columbia University. Students would have the bulk of their clinical experience at the Northern Light, St. Joseph hospitals and Penobscot Community Health Centers.
A connection would be needed with the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Massachusetts, one of the Boston medical schools, or Dartmouth. The basic science component of this program could be conducted at one of these institutions, followed by clinical training based in the Bangor area, utilizing the Columbia-Bassett model as a framework.
Graduates who return to northern Maine might have their medical school loans forgiven as an incentive.
A local group of physicians and hospital administrators should be formed to visit Cooperstown to explore the possibilities. The Alfond and King Foundations should be approached to see if they would support this concept.
Robert Bayer
Orono