New law directs UC to build Kern medical school branch
A new law directs the University of California to set up a new medical school branch in Kern County, thanks to a bill authored by Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains, D-Delano.
Assembly Bill 2357, also known as the “Grow Our Own” bill, was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday, creating a new endowment fund to finance the future school and its operations.
“This is dream that’s been a long time coming for Kern County,” Bains told The Californian. “This is an opportunity for our kids to uplift themselves and truly be the leaders in the medical world that the community needs them to be.”
Money in the fund — which can also accept public and private donations — will be invested with the goal of achieving a sufficient balance to support the school.
A family doctor, Bains said access to medical services in the Central Valley were lacking even before the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated the problem.
“The real reality that we witnessed is our health-care workforce is suffering,” Bains said. “This is the first foundation of the something that would change the landscape.”
In 2021, the California Health Care Foundation reported the San Joaquin Valley had 47 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, short of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ recommended supply ratio of 60 to 80 per 100,000 and the state average of 60 per 100,000 residents.
While Bains declined to name an amount, she said messages of support and financial commitments started arriving shortly after the bill was introduced.
The fund will also be used to finance a feasibility study for the school, which according to the University of California has an unknown cost but could be in the “low millions.”
“The UC estimates one-time General Fund costs of about $300 million for a new medical education building and ongoing operational General Fund costs of between $40 million and $45 million each year,” a Senate summary of the bill said. “These costs could be lower to the extent that donations or other non-state funds are provided.”
Bains said her next step is raising fundraising; the sooner the endowment is sufficiently funded, the sooner the study can begin.
“This is where the momentum starts,” Bains said.
The bill passed with overwhelming support in both chambers, and one of the few organizations in opposition to the bill was the UC itself, which stated there were already a number of programs aimed at increasing medical access in the San Joaquin Valley.
“Launching a medical school and obtaining accreditation from the Licensing Committee on Medical Education requires a substantial investment of time, financial support, faculty development, and a strong foundation of clinical partnerships to support student rotations,” the UC said in an “oppose unless amended” letter.
The UC did not immediately respond to request for comment, but Bains said the feasibility study was added at the request of the university.
It’s not yet clear where the school will be, when it will open, or which UC it will be affiliated with. There is a regional campus of the UC San Francisco School of Medicine in Fresno, and UC Merced is developing an undergraduate program to serve as a feeder to UCSF-Fresno.
The university also has UC PRIME, or Programs in Medical Education, which supplements standard medical training with additional curriculum tailored to meet the needs of underserved populations. PRIME programs are affiliated with different UCs depending on their locations in the state; the San Joaquin Valley’s program is housed at UCSF-Fresno.
In a statement, Emily Duran, chief executive officer of Kern Health Systems, said the school — which she referred to as “the UC Kern Medical School” — is needed to alleviate the current provider shortage that impacts the overall health outcomes of residents.
“Today marks the first step in creating a UC Medical School in Kern County to empower the next generation of doctors that reflect the demographics of our community,” Duran said. “(The bill) is a step in the right direction to build on the current infrastructure to train, recruit, and retain health professionals to address the medical needs of Kern County.”
Bains said the bill received skepticism from its very beginning but that the law now requires that a medical school branch be built in Kern County once funds are available — and she is determined to see the project done.
“This is the time where people do really believe that this is possible,” Bains said. “This is the time where we get together, roll up our sleeves and believe that this is possible.”