Two universities hoping to develop ambitious new roles to overcome shortages of doctors and veterinarians won overwhelming support from the Kentucky House of Representatives on Thursday.
The House passed separate bills authorizing Murray State University to create a school of veterinary medicine and Eastern Kentucky University to award a medical degree in osteopathic medicine.
The authorization bill now goes to the Senate. Another important issue to resolve is whether the proposed academic program will receive the state funding needed to establish itself. That could be decided next month when lawmakers hammer out the final details of the state’s next two-year budget. The new program must also be approved by the State Council on Postsecondary Education.
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The House’s action moves Murray State closer to achieving its long-held ambition to become the first school in Kentucky to award a doctoral-level veterinary degree. Advocates said establishing the school in the state is critical to solving the widespread shortage of veterinarians, especially in large animal care.
Kentucky has a large and diverse agricultural economy, but it lacks “a critical component of our agricultural infrastructure: veterinary school,” said Republican Rep. Richard Heath, the bill’s lead sponsor.
The Bluegrass State has a long-standing partnership with Auburn University in Alabama, allowing Kentucky students to be classified as in-state residents in Auburn’s veterinary medicine program.
Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives debate the House bill on February 1, 2024 in Frankfort, Kentucky. The House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing the establishment of a school of veterinary medicine at Murray State University and the establishment of a school of veterinary medicine at Eastern Kentucky University. Earn your medical degree in osteopathic medicine on February 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
Murray State’s College of Veterinary Medicine could work in conjunction with existing out-of-state partnerships to supply the veterinarians needed to meet demand across Kentucky, supporters said.
Democratic Rep. Chad Orr said the question is not where to establish a veterinary school in the state, but whether such a school should be developed at all. Having both an in-state school and an out-of-state agreement could someday be seen as a financial hardship in a situation where finances are tight, he said.
“I really hope that in eight or 10 years, when we go into a recession and face tight budgets, we don’t cut Auburn’s slots because those slots are so important and essential to the city of Auburn. That’s why we protect the health of our veterinary community,” he said.
Murray state officials say relying on out-of-state programs alone won’t solve the veterinarian shortage.
“This is a basic math problem,” Murray State President Bob Jackson said at a recent committee hearing. “There are not enough slots or seats in the veterinary schools that currently exist to meet the growing demand for veterinarians in this country and in this state. Yes, we can buy more slots. But then… The problem of scarcity that we have today will not go away.” ”
Meanwhile, a bill that would allow Eastern Kentucky to earn a medical degree to practice osteopathic medicine passed the House without opposition.
Supporters pointed to Kentucky’s shortage of primary care physicians. Last year, the state’s three existing medical schools enrolled a combined 510 students out of more than 13,000 applicants, said House Speaker Pro Tem David Meade, the bill’s lead sponsor. It is said that he enrolled in the school. A proposed osteopathic medical school at Eastern Kentucky University would increase the pipeline of doctors practicing in the state, supporters say.
“We all know that rural Kentucky struggles with access to health care, and we’ve been asking the university to provide solutions,” Professor Meade said. “And what EKU is trying to do here is address that challenge.”
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Republican Rep. Deanna Frazier Gordon, the bill’s other lead sponsor, said the eastern Kentucky program would improve the health of Kentuckians, especially in areas that lack sufficient health care providers. Stated.
At a recent legislative committee hearing, the university wants to play a role in overcoming the shortage of primary care physicians, especially in rural Kentucky, President David McFaddin said. .
“We are proud of this proposal,” he said. “We’re trying to meet the needs of Kentucky. We’re trying to build on our strengths and differentiate ourselves as an institution.”
