ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine will expand its class size to help address a growing shortage of physicians in the region and across the country.
“We’ve all heard and seen that there’s an increasing provider shortage, both locally and nationally,” said Dr. William Block, dean of medicine. “The more we can help train physicians, the more likely they are to stay in the region or practice in underserved areas.”
The expansion has been in development for several years as administrators prepared to accommodate more students. Block said Quillen is equipped with classroom space for the first year of the larger class. Additional space is expected through a new interprofessional health sciences building that could break ground this semester.
The college also plans to expand its anatomy lab by next summer and has increased clinical training opportunities, including a new mandatory emergency medicine rotation.
Block emphasized that even with more students, Quillen will maintain its small-school atmosphere. “We’re one of the smallest schools in the country right now,” he said. “Even at 100, we’ll remain on the smaller side. We don’t anticipate it will take away from the personal training we’re able to offer.”
The initiative reflects broader efforts across ETSU’s health sciences programs, where demand for training in medicine, nursing and physical therapy continues to grow.
Block credited strong support from the university’s leadership, including the provost’s office and President Brian Noland, for helping make the expansion possible.
“It’s part of our strategy to increase the number of providers we’re able to train and put into the workforce for the region,” Block said. “I’m so excited about seeing what we can do with it all.”
