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Ross University
Ross University School of Medicine Succeeds Where Others Fall Short, According to Standards Established in New Report
By PR New Wire
Mar 24, 2009 - 5:50:33 AM

According to a new report, the United States is in dire need of more physicians. But while U.S. medical schools are working to rectify the problem, the report points out that the issue cannot be solved simply by increasing the number of schools or expanding existing schools. For more than 30 years, Ross University School of Medicine has been providing qualified students, who show the commitment and determination to successfully complete the rigors of a medical education, the opportunity to attend medical school and become physicians.

North Brunswick, NJ  -- According to a new report sponsored by the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, the United States is in dire need of more physicians. But while U.S. medical schools are working to rectify the problem, the report points out that the issue cannot be solved simply by increasing the number of schools or expanding existing schools.

"What medical education needs to recognize is that it has a fundamental social mission to train future physicians for a rapidly changing healthcare system that seeks different competencies than in the past," says George Thibault, MD, president of the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation.

For more than 30 years, Ross University School of Medicine has educated qualified students who show the commitment and determination to submit to the rigors of a medical education with the goal of becoming physicians serving their communities. Nearly two-thirds of Ross graduates--64 percent--choose to pursue careers in primary care.

The report, "Revisiting the Medical School Educational Mission at a Time of Great Expansion," highlights several areas on which the Foundation believes that medical schools should be focusing. Ross University is addressing each of the identified areas by:

  • Stressing the principles of quality improvement, patient safety, and patient-centered care
  • Preparing students to work effectively and collaboratively as members of healthcare teams
  • Using community-based settings as classrooms
  • Ensuring that students participate in public health education
  • Emphasizing the importance of problem solving and self-directed learning.


Specifically, Ross University's four-semester Foundations of Medicine curriculum provides students with clinical exposure and an opportunity to interact with patients. In addition to traditional teaching practices, students also participate in small-group, problem-based learning sessions focused on clinical issues. Ross University also makes extensive use of human patient simulators throughout its curriculum that are designed to provide students with a safe and supportive learning environment in which to practice life-saving skills. All Ross students also take part in Advanced Introduction to Clinical Medicine (AICM), which provides an opportunity to apply their knowledge in a clinical setting. Upon completion of AICM, students have the necessary foundation to move directly into their clinical rotations at teaching hospitals throughout the United States.

The report also notes that U.S. medical schools must employ a more "balanced, comprehensive set of admission criteria" and should "develop and utilize more effective methods than those currently employed to enlarge and diversify the pool of applicants for admission."

At Ross, the student body is markedly diverse--under-represented minorities comprise nearly 20 percent of the student body--and although GPA and MCAT results do play a substantial role in the admissions process, Ross also takes into account each student's life experience in order to determine the kind of doctor he or she would ultimately be.

"I am pleased to note that Ross University has already implemented many of the suggestions included in this report. As we go forward, we will remain mindful of areas where we can continue to improve, and will make sure such improvements are incorporated into our curriculum and practices," said Mary Thoesen Coleman, M.D., Ph.D., dean of Ross University School of Medicine.

About Ross University School of Medicine
Ross University, a subsidiary of DeVry Inc. (NYSE), was founded in 1978 and is a provider of medical and veterinary education offering doctor of medicine and doctor of veterinary medicine degree programs. Located in Dominica, West Indies, the School of Medicine places more students into U.S. residencies than any other medical school in the world and has clinical education centers in Miami, FL, Saginaw, MI, and Freeport, Grand Bahama. The School of Veterinary Medicine is located in St. Kitts.



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