Alabamas professional organization representing the states osteopathic doctors said it cannot support the creation of a new medical college in Auburn.

Members of the Alabama Osteopathic Medical Association (ALOMA) said construction of a new medical college in 2015 on the heels of another one slated to admit students in Dothan beginning next year could dilute the quality of medical school applicants in the state and create a glut of students looking to complete medical school requirements at locations throughout Alabama.

ALOMA President-Elect Dr. Brent Boyett said the organizations concerns were expressed in a letter sent to Gov. Robert Bentley, Auburn University President Jay Gogue and the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.

Basically, we wanted them to know our concerns and that we could not support an additional school in the state of Alabama at this time, said Boyett, whose practice is located in Hamilton.

Dothans Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine is scheduled to admit its first class next year. Meanwhile in August, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia announced plans to construct a branch in Auburn. If the college is accredited, it should begin admitting students in 2015.

The final two years of a four-year Osteopathic Medicine track consists of residency in a hospital or other medical facility. Assuming classes of 150 per year, the Auburn school would mean doubling the number of students seeking residency from 300 to 600 by 2017.

We just wouldnt have enough rotation sites to accommodate these physicians and the real limiting factor in osteopathic medicine is real good clinical rotation sites, Boyett said.

A lot of this is just inexplicable to me. We were absolutely shocked when we heard of the announcement. Either they know a lot more than we do or we know a lot more than they do, Boyett said.

ALOMA is not the only organization to oppose the branch.

Dr. Neal Canup, State Director of Medical Education for the Alabama Medical Education Consortium, expressed opposition in a letter to state newspapers recently.

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Doctors' group opposes Auburn medical school