Dr. Scott Stoll: Longterm needs versus short-term gains

The following comments made at UNT Board of Regents, March 26th, 2009 by Scott Stoll, DO, PhD.

“My name is Dr. Scoït Stoll and Í am a Professor and Chairman at UNTHSC-TCOM. I am an alumnus and have had the honor and privilege of serving here for 18 years.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Chancellor and the UNT Board of Regents for coming to Fort Worth to discuss the option of adding an MD degree program on the UNTHSC campus. I believe that the reason you have seen so many letters to public officials, editorials, lobbyists, and formal resolutions is that individuals apposed to adding an MD degree program were concerned that their voices would not be heard or listened to. This meeting helps to alleviate this concern.

MD and DO degrees are equal in the eyes of the county, state, and federal government. I see no mission or service driven reason for creation of a parallel, equivalent degree track.

This community, state, and nation need more physicians. Both specialty and primary care physicians are needed. Historically, medical schools, physician groups, and health care systems are more financially successful when they focus on specialty care. However, most agree that what our communities need more is primary care.

Please this excuse this imperfect, but relevant analogy. Up until this last year, large banks and financial institutions which focused only on profits in the form of derivatives and credit default swaps were also more successful financially. We are all painfully aware how that self-centered focus on finances ended up as a disservice to us all.

I submit that our state’s leaders, including this UNT Board of Regents, hospital system leaders, and medical school leaders have the responsibility to elevate the long term needs of our community for primary care physicians over the short term gains for any particular institution which may come from a greater focus on specialty care. The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine currently serves this long term need of our community very well with its focus on training osteopathic physicians and deserves leadership and community support to grow in its ability to serve.

Finally, I know this is not an opportunity for questions or cross examinations. But if I did have that opportunity, I would ask Mr. Amperan and the leadership of Texas Health Resources why they make the availability of critically needed GME spots contingent on this MD option while TCOM is able to provide for this need with its DO graduates.”