Florida Institute of Technology is opening Brevard County’s first medical school next year.
The technical college will be doing so through a partnership with the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, a New Mexico private school.
The schools entered into an affiliation agreement in November and plan to launch a four-year osteopathic medical school on Florida Tech’s Melbourne campus.
Florida Tech's L3Harris Commons building is being renovated to accommodate classrooms and several labs.
Florida Tech leaders made the announcement Thursday in a live presentation alongside educators, administration and alumni of the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Additionally, Florida Tech premed students will be guaranteed admission into the college if they meet established academic criteria via the Medical School Pathway Program.
The partnership comes at a crucial time for Florida," Travis Proctor, chairman of the board of trustees at Florida Tech, said during the presentation.
“It brings Brevard County its medical school, a critical resource when you consider that it has been determined that Florida will be short 18,000 physicians by 2035,” he said.
Proctor was referencing a 2021 study by Florida Hospital Association and The Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida.
Only 32% of Florida’s population has adequate primary care, and half of primary care physicians are expected to retire in the next 15 to 20 years, according to a study by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Burrell president John Hummer, said the med school should help address the need.
“If you go to medical school in the same state you do a residency, Florida ranks at one of the top in the country, 78.8% retention. You go to medical school in Florida. You do a residency in Florida, there’s almost an 80% chance you’re going to stay in Florida,” Hummer said.
Conversations with Burrell to pursue an additional location or a four-year campus, began in 2016.
Burrell receives 4,000 applicants to its school every year with the third largest applicant pool coming from Florida, Hummer said.
"It was natural to meet the need of the student body coming from the state of Florida," Hummer said.
Florida Tech's inaugural class will have 100 students and should graduate by May 2028.
Copyright 2023 WMFE. To see more, visit WMFE.
