The University of Minnesota and CentraCare are collaborating to open the state’s first new medical campus in 50 years. This new medical campus will have a stronger focus on rural health.
The St. Cloud campus is proposed to have between 20 and 24 students each year with expanded residency programs in areas such as mental health, pediatrics and general surgery. All of these areas are affected by the rural physician shortage.
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“The healthcare shortages in rural America are worse than in the metro area,” Dr. Ken Holmen, president and CEO of CentraCare, told the Times.
According to a 2022 report from the Minnesota Department of Health, 1 in 5 rural health providers and 1 in 3 rural physicians said they plan to leave their profession in the next five years. The reason behind some of the anticipated decline is related to burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Like other professions, a shortage was also expected due to the Baby Boomer generation retiring.
“By educating more students… in a rural setting results in more of them (medical students) staying in rural settings to have a job and raise a family.”
Additional information that is driving this initiative includes the following from their website:
- While 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural communities, only 11% of physicians practice in such areas.
- Rural Americans are at greater risk of death from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic respiratory disease, and stroke.
Incentivizing more healthcare professionals to work in rural settings leads to anticipated economic improvements for rural communities.
“The economic impact to our commerce, whether car companies, grocery stores or restaurants, are all part of the broader economic impact that we provide to our communities,” Holmen said. “Let’s say we add 100 (medical) professionals to rural Minnesota, every year. Doesn’t seem like a big number. There’s eight to 10 support people behind every professional that you see.”
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“We are excited to have this opportunity to deepen our existing relationship with CentraCare,” said Jakub Tolar, dean of the Medical School and vice president for clinical affairs. “The Medical School is committed to working with any health system in the state who wants to educate more of our students and residents. CentraCare has been a partner for more than 20 years in the education of physicians, pharmacists, and more recently, advanced practice nurses.”
Tolar also added that in the past year, he has been working with CentraCare to address the need for more physicians and broader access to high-quality healthcare in Greater Minnesota.
“And based on the success of our programs in Duluth, we’re looking forward to expanding our ability to provide excellent education and training opportunities with CentraCare for more future physicians.”
