Riverside County Supervisors have committed to raising $10 million to help support a medical school at the local UC campus. Officials at UC San Diego question whether the new medical school is a good idea.
The UC Board of Regents approved a new med school at UC Riverside in 2008. It's scheduled to open with a class of 50 students in 2012.
Supporters say the school is needed to fill an acute shortage of doctors in the region.
Dr. David Brenner is dean of UCSD's School of Medicine. He says it would make more sense to invest in UC's current crop of medical schools.
"If you look at how limited our budget is and our needs, you could bring more doctors online immediately, if you increase the number of students in each school," Dr. Brenner said. "There were already plans to do that till there was a budget cut."
State lawmakers have yet to kick in money for the new medical school. That's why Riverside County Supervisors say they'll come up with $10 million.
