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Tulane medical school works with Texas medical schools to set up temporary campus

HOUSTON -- (September 8, 2005) -- Tulane University School of Medicine officials met with Houston-area medical school leaders Wednesday to coordinate a plan for setting up temporary quarters for the New Orleans school displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

The Alliance of South Texas Academic Health Centers was formed as a single entity to work with Tulane officials in offering support for the school's needs in education, training and research. Alliance members are Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.

Tulane officials have been briefed by alliance members on what facilities and services they can offer to the medical school, and Tulane has outlined its immediate needs in arranging for the education of medical students, training of residents, and continuation of research programs.

"Our goal is to quickly continue our programs by locating in the Houston area on an interim basis until we can return to our home campus in New Orleans," said Dr. Ian Taylor, dean of the Tulane School of Medicine. "The relocated programs will continue to be under the direction of Tulane administrators and faculty."

The goal is to have Tulane medical students in classrooms by Sept. 26, and medical residents to begin training by Oct. 1. Additional details will be announced on the Tulane University web site www.som.tulane.edu on or before Sept. 15.

Dr. Paul Whelton, senior vice president for the health sciences at Tulane, expressed appreciation for the Texas medical schools' quick response to Tulane's need for assistance.

"With this help, we will be able to provide our students and residents the same exceptional programs we offered before the storm," he said. "And we will re-establish these programs in New Orleans as soon as possible."

The alliance will assist in a number of areas, including providing classroom facilities, clinical rotations, residency assignments, office space and a clinic for Tulane faculty to treat their employees, students and family.

Tulane has approximately 580 residents and 600 medical students, as well as some 60 graduate school students and several M.D.- Ph.D. students.

The alliance also will help in moving research projects on a temporary basis to space at the Texas medical schools.

Another need will be for housing for students, residents and faculty members. The alliance members, working with Tulane officials, are establishing a plan to deal with housing needs. Details on this plan also will be available on the Tulane website www.som.tulane.edu.

The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners has established an expedited system that will allow Louisiana physicians to obtain a temporary license to practice in the state.

Media contacts:

Tulane University School of Medicine
Fran Simon
francesbsimon@att.net
504-858-3833
678-450-4505

Baylor College of Medicine
Lori Williams
loriw@bcm.edu
713-798-7637

Texas A&M University System
Health Science Center College of Medicine
Summer Morgan
slmorgan@medicine.tamhsc.edu
979-845-3431

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Marsha Canright
mwcanrig@utmb.edu
409-772-2618

The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Meredith Raine
Meredith.Raine@uth.tmc.edu
713-500-3030