The number of primary care physicians has been steadily declining in the U.S. The extremely high debt that graduates face influences many to choose more lucrative fields. But the University of Central Florida is taking a new approach to health care education by asking, “What would happen if students didn’t have debt to repay?”
In an effort to return medicine to those who might be interested in practicing for the love of the profession, UCF raised enough funds to give the incoming class of medical students a full ride. This puts the new medical school on the map and sets the stage for the institution’s vision for a world-class ‘Medical City.’
frameborder="0" scrolling="no">Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Full Ride Scholarships
- More institutions can consider offering full ride scholarships to increase accessibility and diversity in professions with high debt.
- Debt-free Education
- Other universities and colleges can explore offering debt-free education to improve recruitment in fields with declining talent pools.
- Medical City Developments
- More universities and institutions can invest in developing healthcare campuses as fields like healthcare continue to grow.
Where This Applies
- Higher Education
- Colleges and universities can explore offering different funding models that ease students' financial burden in fields with high debt.
- Medical Education
- Medical schools and related programs could adopt innovative approaches to teaching and recruitment as they seek to address shortages in primary care physicians.
- Healthcare
- Investing in healthcare campuses, medical technologies, and related infrastructure present opportunities for growth and innovation.
