University of Central Florida trustees are considering whether to raise medical students' tuition and fees by nearly 5 percent for the 2015-16 year.
The board's committee discussion Wednesday on the issue comes the same week as Gov. Rick Scott's announcement that one of his top priorities this year is to prevent universities from increasing tuition at medical and law schools and other graduate programs.
"We have to keep higher education affordable for our students and while we have made considerable steps to curb the rising cost of undergraduate tuition it must be a priority to hold the line on graduate school tuition this year," Scott said in a statement.
Under Scott's proposal, public universities would be banned from raising tuitions for graduate and professional programs beyond the rate that is set as of July 1.
But UCF officials argued they are responsible stewards of taxpayer money for the medical school, a growing program still in its infancy and among the cheapest medical programs in the state even if the new fees were approved. The estimated $800,000 in increased revenue would pay for hiring four or five new faculty members.
"I understand the pressures on keeping tuition lower. It's a noble ambition," President John Hitt told the trustees committee meeting. "I don't want us to get to the point where we can't hire the faculty we need to do a first-rate job of educating students."
This academic year, Florida residents pay $29,680 in tuition and fees while non-residents are charged $56,554 to attend the Lake Nona medical campus. Under the new proposal, residents' total increase would jump to $31,066 while non-residents would pay $59,283. The overall increase would come from a $31.86 hike in the cost per credit hour as well as a rise in other student fees.
The proposal was disheartening, although "understandable," said Arnaldo Perez, a UCF sophomore who leads a student group for aspiring doctors.
"It just makes your career even tougher. You'll have to worry about paying your debt off on top of life," said Perez, 19, of Puerto Rico, who hopes to be a pediatrician and attend the UCF medical school in 2017.
But he said hiring more faculty seemed like a necessary cost for the growing school and, he acknowledged, "Medical school is not free."
Link:
UCF trustees consider tuition hike for medical school
- "Shift Happens" [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Getting Started With Your Personal Statement [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- I started this blog 1 year ago. I'm ready to become a medical doctor. [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Poll Results: "What is your GPA?" [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Why Ross University School of Medicine? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Why Ross University? (Continued) [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Filling out applications with the last 4 years in mind. [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- "Active and Passive Euthanasia" [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- 300 Word Personal Statement - First Draft [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- 300 Word Personal Statement - 2nd Draft [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- "Where did you do EMT training at?" [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- "is this jonathan that went to brazil in the summer of 2006?" [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- First Application is Away - Ross University [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- AMCAS—The American Medical College Application Service [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Student Doctor Network [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Crime Incident - Public Safety Announcement: STUDENTS [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- AMCAS Deadlines & Delays - Answered [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Headstart on Secondary Applications - The Student Doctor Network [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Complete Medical School & Admissions Guide - Revisited [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Interview Status - Ross University [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Finished my first interview. [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- "You have a 95% chance of acceptance..." [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- "I was just wondering if I have to go to medical school i will have to start college allover again." [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Interview Feedback - Allopathic Medical Schools - Ross University School of Medicine (Dominica Caribbean) [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- ACCEPTED! [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Step 1 Revisited [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- A Few More Thoughts On Moving [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Update [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Closing In [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Internet/Computer Hell [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Back On The Net [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- 1 More Day [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Loan Deferment Blog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Graduated! [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- What Happened? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Interesting Case [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- What Made Me Stupid? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Blah. [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Call [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Medicine in the Media [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Was Medical School Worth It? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Off I Go... [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Is It Worth It, Part 2 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Oriented [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- GLBT in Medical School [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- GLBT in Residency Applications [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- I Survived [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Reflections on the First Week [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- All Good Things Must End [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Lone Coyote is Back [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Pre-med student switches gears to teach in Chicago school - Chicago Tribune [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Old-school barbecue coming to spot near Fort Worth medical district - Fort Worth Star Telegram [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Nursing home drug use puts many at risk - Boston Globe [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Dr. Anita Figueredo, first female surgeon in San Diego, dies at 93 - Los Angeles Times [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Stimulus funds pay for monkey research in NC - MiamiHerald.com [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Medicine as an economic engine - Buffalo News [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- UM medical school feels the squeeze - MiamiHerald.com [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISER Bell's palsy not as serious as it appears - Detroit Free Press [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Baylor medical school works to get back on track - Houston Chronicle [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- From community college to Amherst College and Yale Medical School - WalletPop (blog) [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- Man questions merit of coke monkey study - UPI.com [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2010]
- School Board has questions it wants answered about onsite medical clinic - Terre Haute Tribune Star [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- Stimulus Funds Pay for Monkey Research - NewsMax.com [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- Babylon schools head: Teen's collapse unrelated to athletics - Newsday (subscription) [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- Cost Of Medical School Rises In Recession - NPR [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- Flu Shots in Children Help People of All Ages - New York Times [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- A prescription for improving science education - Scope (blog) [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- Live kidney donors do not die sooner: study - Reuters [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2010]
- UW football player suspended after alleged assault - Seattle Post Intelligencer [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- More Comparative Studies Needed to Guide Physicians Study finds less than a ... - ModernMedicine [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Conservationists worry about Mo. med school plan - KOAM-TV [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Dr. William D. Lynn - Baltimore Sun [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Suspect in North Dallas shootings became reclusive after parents died, family says - Dallas Morning News [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Drinkers Gain Less Weight - Harvard Crimson [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Long-Term Health Risks Low for Kidney Donors - WebMD [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- School resource officer remains in critical condition - Middletown Journal [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- New Lucian Leape Institute Report Finds That U.S. Medical Schools Are Falling ... - PR Newswire (press release) [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Dual degrees program expands for Mayo Medical School students - Post-Bulletin [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Comparative Effectiveness Research is a Must - TopNews United States [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]
- Long Beach OKs medical pot ordinance - Contra Costa Times [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2010]