North Carolina's fiscal 2017-2018 budget proposal, likely in its final shape, will set aside $1 million for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine to increase the number of slots available for prospective medical students, according to The Herald-Sun.
A draft of the budget emerged Monday. The $1 million allocation is less than the $10 million UNC initially requested, according to the report.
William Roper, MD, dean of the UNC at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, said he aims to increase the size of the annual medical school class from 180 students to 230 students. However, the increase in students would require approximately $10 million more a year in state funds. It is unclear how many additional slots will be added with the $1 million in funding.
Dr. Roper also said the school is in the midst of planning the construction of a medical education building. He said the project will be funded by last year's statewide bond issue, according to the report.
The proposal raised the budget for the medical school's satellite program at UNC at Asheville. It also allocated $30 million to subsidize residency assignments for physicians completing their training at hospitals and medical practices across the state.