Letters: New medical school won't replace UMDNJ
The plan for a new, four-year medical school in Camden will not lessen the commitment of the University of Medicine and Dentistry School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, and the benefits it brings to Camden and the surrounding area. SOM was founded in 1976, and has grown to become one of the best osteopathic medical schools in the United States. Nearly 80 percent of the students enrolled are from New Jersey, and about one in four come from South Jersey. More than half of SOM's graduates practice in our state, and half of those graduates enter primary care. Last year, SOM provided more than 250,000 outpatient visits. The school is also a major employer in the region, with almost 900 paid faculty and staff.
SOM's key partners in the city of Camden include Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, the Camden Area Health Education Center, the Camden Saturday Health Clinic, St. Luke's Catholic Medical Services, Project HOPE, CAMCARE, and the Dr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School. We view the new allopathic school as yet another asset for the region, not a replacement for any of our current activities.
Thomas A. Cavalieri, D.O.
Dean, UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine
Stratford
