Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

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Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science was originally founded in 1966 in response to inadequate medical facilities within the Watts region of Los Angeles, California. Later, the institution became a University and changed its name in order to reflect its new academic role. The University is named in honor of Dr. Charles R. Drew. It was associated with the former-Martin Luther King Jr./Charles R. Drew Medical Center (now MLK-Harbor hospital) from 1972 to 2006, and sometimes referred to as King-Drew University.

Drew is perhaps best known as a medical school designed to train physicians interested in working in urban environments. They also offer degrees in closely related clinical programs such as radiology, pharmacy, and physicians assistants. Drew is now expanding to offer an undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences. The program places a strong emphasis on research. In fact, it is not uncommon for undergraduates to be performing research in their first year.

[edit] King/Drew problems

Main article: Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital

Both the University and associated public hospital fell into serious trouble at the outset of the 21st century.[1] By 2006, several residency programs had to be terminated for not meeting the necessary amount of oversight, and the hospital itself was forced into a radical restructuring plan in late-2006. The restructuring caused hospital to sever it ties to the neighboring medical school and terminate support to 248 medical residents.[2] As a result the university voluntarily withdrew its accreditation. The school can seek reinstatement to relaunch its residency program in July 2008, but given the restructuring of its former teaching hospital may not be able to meet that deadline.

On March 6, 2007, officials from the university announced that they will sue Los Angeles County for $125 million for breach of contract, claiming that the restructuring of the hospital gutted the adjacent university.[2] In response, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Mike Antonovich stated "Drew University will fail in court as they failed as a medical school."[2]

[edit] External links and references

  1. ^ Tracy Weber et al, The Troubles at King/Drew (5 part series), The Los Angeles Times, December 2004, Accessed Sept. 26, 2006.
  2. ^ a b c Susannah Rosenblatt, Medical school to sue L.A. County, Los Angeles Times, March 7, 2007.
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