REDDING, Calif. – A new coalition is forming with the potential to revolutionize healthcare education in Northern California. The Rural Northern California Medical Education Consortium was formally announced in Redding this week, bringing together physicians, educators, tribal health leaders, and community partners.
The consortium aims to establish a medical school serving rural, frontier, and tribal communities from Del Norte to Yuba County. Many counties in Northern California are designated as health professional shortage areas, making access to basic and specialty care a challenge for patients.
“Many people can not find a primary care physician,” said Dr. Paul Dhanuka, vice mayor of Redding. “Many people have to travel outside of the area to San Francisco, or Sacramento, to get specialty care. That is not sustainable, and we need to change that. That actually has a really bad impact on our health outcomes.”
Shasta County has officially backed this regional plan, which unites efforts that were previously separate. The consortium is moving quickly, with site visits to successful rural medical schools planned for January and February.
“What we want is to create doctors that are trained locally, who stay locally, and therefore can provide the kind of care for our population,” said Dr. Irene Salter, a neuroscientist and educator. “That’s really different than what an urban setting would train them to be able to do.”
A formal feasibility study is underway, and the consortium estimates that building a medical school could take seven to 10 years. They consider this the most promising path yet.
Community input will play a critical role in shaping the school’s design, and the consortium expects to announce locations and dates for public meetings in the coming months.