Cooper University Hospital celebrated\u00a0one of the most \u00a0significant \u00a0milestones in its\u00a0 125-year \u00a0history \u00a0this \u00a0summer\u00a0 \u00a0with the opening of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU).<\/p>\n
The first new medical school in New\u00a0Jersey in more than 35 years and only the\u00a0135th medical school in the country, the six-story, $139 million project at the corner of Broadway and Benson Streets in Camden is expected\u00a0 to be an economic engine for the \u00a0neighborhood,\u00a0 the \u00a0City of \u00a0Camden, and South Jersey, and elevate medical care and education throughout the region.<\/p>\n
For South Jersey physicians, having a four-year medical school nearby will offer educational and research opportunities, and help to address an impending health care crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0 will offer \u00a0a range \u00a0of continuing medical education opportunities for community\u00a0\u00a0 doctors,\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0said\u00a0 \u00a0Paul\u00a0 \u00a0Katz, MD, CMSRU Founding Dean. \u201cAnd\u00a0 our innovative,\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0hands-on\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0curriculum\u00a0 \u00a0will\u00a0allow \u00a0us \u00a0to \u00a0seek \u00a0training \u00a0and \u00a0research\u00a0opportunities \u00a0for \u00a0our \u00a0students \u00a0from \u00a0the greater South Jersey medical community.\u201d<\/p>\n
One \u00a0of the most\u00a0 important impacts CMSRU \u00a0will have \u00a0affects \u00a0not \u00a0only\u00a0 the medical community, but residents of the entire state by addressing the physician shortage in New\u00a0 Jersey. The New\u00a0 Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals recently reported that there is already a 12 percent gap between physician supply and demand. By 2020, New Jersey is expected to be short an additional 3,000 physicians needed to care for \u00a0its\u00a0 population. \u201cSince the \u00a0place where physicians train plays a role in where they choose to live and work, we expect to add\u00a0 a significant number to the physician workforce \u00a0within the next\u00a0 decade,\u201d adds Dr. Katz. \u201cThis will help physicians state- wide provide better and more efficient care to their patients.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Grand Opening<\/strong><\/p>\n CMSRU marked \u00a0its July \u00a0opening \u00a0with a \u00a0special \u00a0event \u00a0attended by \u00a0N. J. Governor Chris \u00a0Christie and other dignitaries.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s grand opening of Cooper Medical School represents \u00a0a significant step forward in higher education for<\/p>\n the state of New \u00a0Jersey,\u201d \u00a0Christie said. \u00a0\u201cThe establishment \u00a0of a \u00a0four-year \u00a0medical \u00a0school in Camden \u00a0is long overdue, \u00a0and I congratulate The Cooper Health System and Rowan University on this very successful collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n The event included tours\u00a0 of CMSRU\u2019s Medical Education Building on Camden\u2019s\u00a0 \u00a0Cooper \u00a0Health \u00a0Sciences \u00a0Campus. The\u00a0 six-story, \u00a0200,000 -square-foot \u00a0building \u00a0eventually \u00a0will accommodate 40 0 aspiring physicians.<\/p>\n the state of New \u00a0Jersey,\u201d \u00a0Christie said. \u00a0\u201cThe establishment \u00a0of a \u00a0four-year \u00a0medical \u00a0school in Camden \u00a0is long overdue, \u00a0and I congratulate The Cooper Health System and Rowan University on this very successful collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n The event included tours\u00a0 of CMSRU\u2019s Medical Education Building \u00a0on Camden\u2019s \u00a0Cooper Health\u00a0 \u00a0Sciences \u00a0Campus. The\u00a0 six-story, \u00a0200,000 -square-foot \u00a0building \u00a0eventually \u00a0will accommodate 400 aspiring physicians.<\/p>\n \u00a0The Class of 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n On August\u00a0 13, 2012, 50 young men and women took their seats \u00a0in CMSRU\u2019s \u00a0brand \u00a0new \u00a0auditorium.\u00a0 Dr. Katz \u00a0warmly welcomed these future physicians \u2013 CMSRU Class of 2016 \u2013 who were attending their first day of medical school orientation.<\/p>\n Altogether, 74 percent of CMSRU\u2019s charter class hails from New Jersey. They were chosen from a pool of 2,900 applicants and a group of more than 300 interviewees. The class is 58 percent female and\u00a042 percent male and ranges in age from 22-36. The average age is 25.<\/p>\n A \u00a0little over\u00a0 a \u00a0month \u00a0after arriving, the \u00a0students \u00a0recited the Hippocratic Oath and were cloaked in starched white coats in front \u00a0of \u00a0family and\u00a0 CMSRU faculty. This \u00a0symbolic event, the \u201cWhite Coat Ceremony,\u201d was an official welcome into the medical profession for the charter class.<\/p>\n CMSRU \u00a0students\u00a0 \u00a0will \u00a0be \u00a0educated \u00a0by \u00a0more \u00a0than \u00a0400 clinical faculty from\u00a0 Cooper University Hospital and its own team \u00a0of \u00a0basic\u00a0 science faculty,\u00a0 many \u00a0of \u00a0whom \u00a0are \u00a0renowned educators and researchers.<\/p>\n The school\u2019s high tech\/high touch, mission-driven curriculum was designed to prepare physicians for the changing culture \u00a0of\u00a0\u00a0 health \u00a0care \u00a0in \u00a0the\u00a0\u00a0 United \u00a0States, \u00a0including \u00a0an emphasis on patient-centered care, teamwork, critical thinking, preventative medicine and community service.<\/p>\n