Commentary and Fact Check
UNTHSC is composed of four colleges: the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM), the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Public Health and the School of Health Professions, which includes the departments of Physician Assistant Studies and Physical Therapy. As TCOM is the founding college and in order to preserve the osteopathic identity of the institution and honor the original agreement of transferring TCOM to the UNT system in 1974, the Texas Legislature passed a law (Education Code, Title 3. Higher Education, Subchapter H. Sec. 105.402), which prohibits the UNT Regents from awarding an M.D. degree.
Degrees Awarded[1]:
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
- Master of Physician Assistant Studies
- Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences
- Master of Health Administration
- Master of Public Health
- Doctor of Public Health
- Master of Public Health/Master of Science in nursing (dual degree offered in partnership with University of Texas at Arlington)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health (pending)
Three areas of excellence:
Ø The Forensic Crime Lab is one of the top labs handling forensic DNA on the federal level; the lab has received about $8 million in funding.
Ø Extramural research awards have increased from $10 million to $41.7 million from FY 2000-2010.
Ø Excellence of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine:
Ø #19 in primary care medical school
Ø #11 in family practice
Ø #15 in geriatric medicine
Ø #22 in rural medicine
§ Rural Osteopathic Medical Education (ROME) has provided numerous counties in Texas with their only doctor, many of whom graduated from TCOM.
§ UNT Health clinics: 35
§ UNT Health providers: 238
§ Annual patient encounters: approximately 600,000
UNTHSC’s ambition is to increase student enrollment from 1,579 in 2010 to 2,500. UNTHSC has grown from 705 students in 2000 to 1,579 students in 2010 (125% increase.)
[1] “Media Center UNT Health Science Center
[2] “Legislative Appropriations Request for Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013.” University of Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Submitted August 16, 2010. Downloaded February 26, 2011. URL: http://www.hsc.unt.edu/departments/ofpb//Documents/LAR%20Fiscal%20Year%202012%20and%202013.pdf.
Now that makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteThe original founder(s) of UNTHSC/TCOM must have foreseen the future and therefore sought an agreement with the state of Texas to preserve the osteopathic heritage and identity of UNTHSC/TCOM as the condition for transferring UNTHSC/TCOM to the state's University of North Texas (UNT) System. This argeed-upon condition was made absolutely clear when the Texas legislature passed the 'no MD degree' law for UNT Regents.
Now, which part of this argreement does the UNTHSC president NOT understand?
Sadly but truly, Dr Ransom is single-handedly undermining the intent and the spirit of this agreement. He has dishonored his predesessors by committing (suferring?) 'dissociate fugue' of his osteopathic roots.
In the words of Gomer Pyle, "Shame, shame, shame..."