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8/26/2024
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Special commission to study possibility of medical school at URI to hold inaugural meeting on Wednesday
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STATE HOUSE — A special legislative commission to study the possibility of establishing a state medical school at the University of Rhode Island will meet Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m. in the Senate Lounge on the second floor of the State House.
The 21-member commission is tasked with making a comprehensive study of Rhode Island’s health care workforce related to educating and retaining primary care physicians. The panel was established by a resolution (2024-S 3165) introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D–Dist. 37, South Kingstown) during the most recent legislative session.
Rhode Island is experiencing a net loss of primary care clinicians and the shortage is expected to worsen in the years ahead. The inability of many Rhode Island residents to find primary care physicians is resulting in the use of community health centers and urgent care facilities to meet their medical needs, which strains resources and creates additional pressures on the health care system.
The commission appointees include:
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Sen. Pamela J. Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence), who will co-chair the commission
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URI President Dr. Marc B. Parlange, Ph.D., P.Eng, who will co-chair the commission
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Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown)
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Sen. Alana M. DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham)
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Sen. Thomas J. Paolino (R-Dist. 17, Lincoln, North Providence, North Smithfield)
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Rep. Susan R. Donovan (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth)
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Rep. Jacquelyn Baginski (D-Dist. 17, Cranston)
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Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera
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Dr. Staci Fischer of the Rhode Island Department of Health
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Kerry LaPlante, PharmD., FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP, Dean of the URI College of Pharmacy
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Danny Willis, DNS, RN, FAAN, Dean of URI College of Nursing
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Dr. Patrick Vivier, MD, Ph.D., Dean of URI College of Health Services
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Barbara E. Wolfe, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, URI Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
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Margo L. Cook, Chair, URI Board of Trustees
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Armand E. Sabitoni, Vice Chair, URI Board of Trustees
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Thomas M. Ryan, member, URI Board of Trustees
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M. Teresa Paiva Weed, President, Hospital Association of Rhode Island
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Stacy Paterno, Executive Vice President, Rhode Island Medical Society
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Christopher F. Koller
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Dr. Michael Fine
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Dr. Marie Ganim
In addition to an overview of commission objectives, the first meeting will include a presentation on primary care in Rhode Island by Dr. Michael Fine.
The meeting will be televised live by Capitol Television, which can be seen by Cox Communications subscribers on channels 15 and 61 for high definition, on channel 15 by i3Broadband viewers, and channel 34 for Verizon subscribers. Livestreaming will be available at https://www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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