House debate on UH Med School tomorrow!

https://twitter.com/UHjsmith/status/1112499143476428800

Let’s hope it passes!!!

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Good news is that I haven’t seen much pushback against this proposal so far. Usually, someone complains, but the only complaint I’ve seen is that Texas doesn’t have enough residency spots to cover all the graduates from the new medical schools. However, that isn’t specific against UH as there are other medical schools being built (SHSU and one of the UT branches both have one in the works).

Take for example Texas Tech and their Vet School…Aggies have been fighting it hard with multiple editorial pieces in different papers around the state. For us to kind of fly under the radar with no one saying anything against us probably means we’re in good shape. Also helps that we’ve got the governor and lt governor on our side at the moment.

UH took care of that argument with an agreement with their hospital partner to provide more residency openings than UHMS will require.

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Any news on the outcome of this?

Passed the committee hearing 11-0. House will take it up now.

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Based on a Tweet from the KHOU Channel 11 news editor, it will be subject to a procedural vote tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/BillBishopKHOU/status/1112800701657374721

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https://twitter.com/UHjsmith/status/1112875788263514114

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:grinning:

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Awesome news. Congrats to all involved for their hard work on this over all these years!

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Great news!! Congrats to all involved in this effort. Well done. Go Coogs!

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That explosion in new schools — and a shortage of medical residencies for medical school graduates in Texas — has prompted skepticism by some higher education leaders. Last fall, the nine-member Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board voted 5-4 in favor of the proposal for a school of osteopathic medicine from Sam Houston State. The board unanimously approved UH’s plan.

When the House approved the UH school Monday, the authors of the bill establishing it nodded to that concern.

“The University of Houston College of Medicine will address the need for more primary care physicians in Texas, but just as important, they are creating new residency slots for medical students,” said state Rep. John Zerwas, chair of the House Appropriations Committee. “Ultimately, we’ll be able to keep more doctors in Texas, which will improve the health of our state, especially in underserved communities.”

The Texas House of Representatives on Monday approved the formal recognition of the college in the state’s Education Code through the passage of House Bill 826. The House had previously approved an allocation of $20 million for the medical school, an amount that’s critical to the college’s startup cost.

The House’s formal recognition is important because the Education Code authorizes public university systems in Texas to approve curricula and operational protocols for medical schools. It also makes medical schools eligible for related state funding.

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https://twitter.com/UHjsmith/status/1114307599321763840

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How did it go in the senate?

SB 650 was left pending in committee as they decided to come up with a different bill: HB 826
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB00826

HB 826 passed the Higher Ed committee on 11 Apr by a vote of 9-0 and was placed on the Senate intent Calendar on 17 Apr. Looks like it’s on the calendar for 23 Apr right now.

https://twitter.com/UHpres/status/1120745226296012802?s=19

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UH also is asking state lawmakers for $20 million for the college this session, an allocation included in the House budget. There is no such allocation in the Senate budget, but UH officials this week said they’re confident the amount will be part of the final budget worked out in conference committee.

The legislative funding and formal recognition are two of four key steps needed to create the school, which would be the city’s first since the University of Texas System opened what is now known as McGovern Medical School in 1972, the largest component of the UT Health Science Center at Houston. UH cleared the first hurdle in October, approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The biggest hurdle is accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, a nearly year-long process that requires on-site visits and progress reports and without which a medical school cannot open. UH submitted its initial application materials for such accreditation in March.

Abbott has ten days to sign the bill, veto it or allow it to become statute without a signature.

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https://twitter.com/UHpres/status/1123987591731269632?s=19

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