Loma Linda University School of Medicine students now have the opportunity to spend their clinical years at AdventHealth Orlando thanks to a new regional campus partnership. Through the agreement, medical students can select the Florida-based health-care system for their required clinical rotations during their third and fourth years of education leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree.

The Loma Linda University School of Medicine – AdventHealth Orlando Campus offers medical students the opportunity to train in Central Florida to diversify their clinical education across a variety of patient care settings and environments.

“A cohort of students are learning in a setting that shares similar visions and common values with an emphasis on whole-person care, just like Loma Linda University Health,” Tamara Thomas, dean of Loma Linda University School of Medicine, said.

Medical students training at AdventHealth Orlando will follow the core curriculum of Loma Linda University School of Medicine and will complete their medical education under the supervision of AdventHealth Orlando faculty.

“We have a long-standing relationship with AdventHealth, and the Orlando location is an additional rotational site for students to spend their clinical years learning from a diverse group of providers and researchers, including many of whom are alumni,” Elaine Hart, assistant dean of regional campuses at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, said.

Regional campuses are becoming more common as medical schools and health-care organizations recognize the partnership benefits of training the next generation of physicians. The campuses boost enrollment and help increase the workforce in that region.

“There is strong interest and enthusiasm to learn and participate in medical care in Central Florida,” George Everett, assistant dean of Loma Linda University School of Medicine – AdventHealth Orlando Campus, said. “Students will learn in a large hospital system that offers advanced medical research and exceptional primary and specialty care to a diverse patient population.”

AdventHealth Orlando is a major tertiary and quaternary referral hospital for much of the southeastern U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America. The facility has several residency and fellowship programs already in place, with additional programs set to launch soon. Residencies in Obstetrics and Gynecology and orthopedics will admit their first classes in July.

According to an Association of American Medical Colleges study, the U.S. could see a shortage of primary care physicians estimated at between 17,800 and 48,000 and non-primary care specialties of between 21,000 and 77,100 physicians by 2034. Other key findings are that the U.S. population is projected to grow by 10.6 percent, with a projected 42.4 percent increase in those aged 65 and above over the next decade, which will create an increased demand for physician specialties that predominantly care for older Americans.

Students applying or accepted to Loma Linda University School of Medicine who are interested in spending their third and fourth year at a regional campus such as AdventHealth Orlando may indicate their preference in their secondary application. 

The original version of this story was posted on the Loma Linda University Health news site.