Today at the Rotary Club, State Treasurer, John Kennedy spoke about plans for a medical school right here in Lafayette.

"It's clear to me that we need a new medical school in Louisiana" State Treasurer John Kennedy said as he spoke to a full house at the Rotary Club about the possibility of a new medical school.

"Louisiana, like a lot of states, is facing a physician shortage, particularly in primary care, a third of our population lives in a federally designated primary care shortage area" said Kennedy. Louisiana has more physicians over 60 than under 40, and The American Medical Association estimates that by the year 2025, the country will experience a shortage of 140,000 physicians, according to Kennedy. The treasurer says, "Other states are doing something about it. In the last few years 29 states built a new medical schools. Louisiana is behind but we can catch up."

According to Kennedy, because of the city's fast growing and diversified economy, Lafayette would be an ideal location.

"We have a very sophisticated healthcare community already. We have a new teaching hospital here in Lafayette General as a result of our public private partnerships where we privatized our Charity Hospital system.

Kennedy says LSU officials are interested in opening a new medical school here in Lafayette. The estimated cost for the new medical school would range from 9 to 15 million dollars.

Kennedy says the project still needs support from the Healthcare, political and the civic communities of Lafayette. He ensures that the funding will not take money from any other entity nor will taxes it raise taxes.

Excerpt from:

State Treasurer: "LA needs another med. school"