programmed throughout the pre-clinical years, including rural, geriatric, and
minority health, and contemporary practice patterns in these areas.
(b) During the third and fourth years, the curriculum shall follow a distributed,
community-based model with a special focus on rural health. Subgroups of students
shall be assigned to clinical rotation training sites in local communities in
roughly equal numbers, as follows:
1. Group 1 - Tallahassee.
2. Group 2 - Pensacola.
3. Group 3 - Orlando.
4. Group 4 - Sarasota.
5. Group 5 - Jacksonville.
6. Group 6 - To be determined prior to 2005, based on emerging state needs.
7. Group 7 - Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP).
(8) MEDICAL NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY.—The College of Medicine shall
develop a comprehensive program to ensure training in the medical needs of
the elderly and incorporate principles embodied in the curriculum guidelines
of the American Geriatric Society. The College of Medicine shall have as one of
its primary missions the improvement of medical education for physicians who
will treat elder citizens. To accomplish this mission, the College of Medicine
shall establish an academic leadership position in geriatrics, create an external
elder care advisory committee, and implement an extensive faculty development
plan. For student recruitment purposes, the current Program in Medical
Sciences (PIMS) selection criteria shall be expanded to include consideration
of students who have expressed an interest in elder care and who have demonstrated,
through life choices, a commitment to serve older persons.
(9) MEDICAL NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED AREAS.—To address the
medical needs of the state’s rural and underserved populations, the College of
Medicine shall develop a Department of Family Medicine with a significant rural
training track that provides students with early and frequent clinical experiences
in community-based settings to train and produce highly skilled primary care
physicians. The College of Medicine shall consider developing new, rural-based
family practice clinical training programs and shall establish a partnership with
the West Florida Area Health Education Center to assist in developing partnerships
and programs to provide incentives and support for physicians to practice
in primary care, geriatric, and rural medicine in underserved areas of the state.
(10) INCREASING PARTICIPATION OF UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS.—To increase the participation of underrepresented groups and
socially and economically disadvantaged youth in science and medical programs,
the College of Medicine shall continue the outreach efforts of the Program in
Medical Sciences (PIMS) to middle and high school minority students, including
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