History
TCMC was established through the grassroots efforts of visionary individuals who understood what a community-based medical school would bring to a region – and worked to make it a reality. Their goal was to provide more physicians and improved healthcare resources for the people of northeastern and north central Pennsylvania. The focus was to create a unique medical education experience that focused on caring for people in their lives and community. TCMC began as the Northeastern Pennsylvania Medical Education Development Consortium (MEDC) in 2003. The consortium included business, medical, community, and government representatives. After acquiring funding, a $35 million grant from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program; $25 million in start up funding from Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania and an additional $45 million in 2008 to construct the Medical Sciences Building; state, federal and private philanthropic sources, the Commonwealth Medical Education Corporation was formed. In the spring of 2007, Robert M. D’Alessandri, MD, began his tenure as president and founding dean. TCMC was established in 2008 and welcomed its first class of 65 medical students and 13 Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) students in August 2009. In 2011, TCMC opened the 185,000 square foot Medical Sciences Building in Scranton that houses the academic and research programs.
TCMC is a nonprofit organization and to date, has recruited nearly 170 full-time faculty and staff and more than 800 volunteer clinical faculty throughout the 16-county region.
During the next 20 years, the medical school is expected to add 425 qualified, diverse practicing physicians to the region. In addition, it is expected to add $70 million to the local economy and create 1,000 new jobs that directly and indirectly support the school’s operations.
TCMC's first class was graduated in May, 2013.
Read more about this topic: The Commonwealth Medical College
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