AMA Grants $1M to UC-Davis’ Three-Year Medical School Program

UC-Davis has received a five-year, $1 million grant from the American Medical Association to boost the school's pilot three-year medical school program, NPR's "Shots" reports (Bartolone, "Shots," NPR, 8/7).

Background

In July, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed a bill (AB 1838) that allows students enrolled in accredited medical school programs in California to become physicians in less than four years.

AB 1838 will go into effect in January 2015 and will allow students at accredited medical school programs in California to graduate and become licensed physicians in three years instead of four years.

The measure was sponsored by the University of California and the Medical Board of California.

Details of UC-Davis Pilot Program

An accelerated medical school program already is being tested at the UC-Davis School of Medicine in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente. The first six participants began classes in June (California Healthline, 7/21).

The program -- called Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care -- cuts out electives, summer vacations and the search for a residency slot.

Tonya Fancher, director of the program, said the initiative aims to increase the number of primary care providers in California amid a growing shortage of such providers ("Shots," NPR, 8/7).