Breaking the Mold by Myra Hurt | Page 104

(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that the Florida State University College of Medicine represent a new model for the training of allopathic physician healers for the citizens of the state. In accordance with this intent, the governing philosophy of the College of Medicine should include the training of students, in a humane environment, in the scientific, clinical, and behavioral practices required to deliver patient-centered health care in the 21st century. Key components of the College of Medicine, which would build on the foundation of the 30-year-old Florida State University Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS), would include: admission of diverse types of students who possess good communication skills and are compassionate individuals, representative of the population of the state; basic and behavioral sciences training utilizing medical problem-based teaching; and clinical training at several dispersed sites throughout the state in existing community hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices. The Legislature further intends that study of the aging human be a continuing focus throughout the 4-year curriculum and that use of information technology be a key component of all parts of the educational program. (3) PURPOSE.—The College of Medicine shall be dedicated to: preparing physicians to practice primary care, geriatric, and rural medicine, to make appropriate use of emerging technologies, and to function successfully in a rapidly changing health care environment; advancing knowledge in the applied biomedical and behavioral sciences, geriatric research, autism, cancer, and chronic diseases; training future scientists to assume leadership in health care delivery and academic medicine; and providing access to medical education for groups which are underrepresented in the medical profession. (4) TRANSITION; ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE; ADMISSIONS PROCESS.—The General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1999-2000 included initial funding for facilities and operations to provide a transition from the Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS) to a College of Medicine at the Florida State University. For transitional purposes, the Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the College of Arts and Sciences at the Florida State University shall be reorganized and restructured, as soon as practicable, as the Institute of Human Medical Sciences. At such time as the 4-year educational program development is underway and a sufficient number of basic and behavioral sciences and clinical faculty are recruited, the Institute of Human Medical Sciences shall evolve into the Florida State University College of Medicine, with appropriate departments. The current admissions procedure utilized by the Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS) shall provide the basis for the design of an admissions process for the College of Medicine, with selection criteria that focus on identifying future primary care physicians who have demonstrated interest in serving underserved areas. Enrollment levels at the College of Medicine are planned to not exceed 102 | Breaking the Mold