‘Prior to this administration, advances were made in the student experience at K.C.O.M. Board exam scores increased during the early 1990’s and entering freshmen were comparable to high quality medical schools in the U.S. Curricular development was being studied. Rotation sites were consolidated to bring stability, cost control, standardization, and monitoring to the clinical training sites for 3rd and 4th year students. A change in the administration has reversed this trend towards the improved standing of K.C.O.M. among other medical schools with the curriculum in flux, clinical sites in disarray, and poor leadership overall.’
-K.C.O.M. was moving in a direction of becoming a top-notch school.
e.g.: In 1990, K.C.O.M. was last on national board exams; but by 1996, K.C.O.M. ranked first on parts one and two
e.g.: K.C.O.M. was ranked 70 of 141 osteopathic and allopathic medical schools for the entering freshman class in 1996 as published by U.S. News and World Report, on the basis of admission criteria
-By the mid-1990’s, K.C.O.M. was in the process of consolidating all rotation sites (3rd and 4th years) for an educational and cost advantage. This was planned to standardize education at all sites (1st time in K.C.O.M. history), thus enhancing the student educational experience.
-A change occurred at the K.C.O.M. president’s office in 1997.
e.g.: The president was selected apart from the involvement of the general faculty.
-The dean’s office was changed in 1998.
e.g.: A bogus search for a new dean ensued with stifled involvement of the clinical faculty. (refer to the letter from Dr. R. Walker)
e.g.: A dean was selected who lacked a formal medical/surgery multi-year post doctoral residency and additional significant clinical experience.
e.g.: The dean selected by the president lacks previous experience as an academic assistant or associate dean.
e.g.: The dean lacks private practice experience with acute medical and surgical patient care.
e.g.: The dean lacks a masters or a post-doctoral degree in education.
-Since the inception of the new administration, clinical faculty concerns/issues have increasingly been turned away when using “proper channels”
e.g.: The president and dean have repeatedly refused to heed the counsel of the associate dean’s, section chiefs, department chairs, and clinical faculty at large (refer to letters from Drs. T. Smith and R. Jackson)
e.g.: Clinical faculty concerns/issues are diluted in the curriculum committee(refer to list of voting curriculum committee members)
-A majority of the student body has increasingly exhibited unrest, poor morale, and dissatisfaction under the current administration.
e.g.: Students unhappy with disarray in the clinical rotation sites.
e.g.: Concern of the quality of the curriculum (refer to the previously presented student OTM survey)
e.g.: Students have rightly questioned non-scientific teaching incorporated by the OTM department (cranial manipulation used for eye refraction, etc.).
-Decreasing quality of the educational program at K.C.O.M.
e.g.: We are currently unranked in U.S. News and World Report for primary care medical schools
e.g.: We are currently outranked by MSU-COM, WVCOM, and PCOM for primary care medical schools in the U.S. News and World Report
