Brent Schneider got a ton of attention today at Franklin & Marshall College.

The senior biology major was the only pre-med student who showed up at the start of an open house hosted by a new medical college starting in Pennsylvania.

A dozen representatives from The Commonwealth Medical College were on hand to eagerly greet Schneider, 22, who hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon.

All eyes were on Schneider, but he maintained his poise as he asked questions and learned about the new Scranton-based college, which hopes to help address a national shortage of physicians.

By about 2025, the country is estimated to have a shortfall of 200,000 physicians, according to studies. Commonwealth hopes to counter that problem in Pennsylvania, where it wants its graduates to stay and set up practice.

First, though, it needs to get the word out about the school, the first new medical school in Pennsylvania in 46 years. Students are hearing about it — the college already has had more than 1,000 applications in its first few weeks of operation since becoming accredited last month.

To help increase awareness, Commonwealth faculty and staff today embarked on a road trip, hoping to hit 50 schools in 10 days. Representatives of the new college also planned to go to Millersville University, Gettysburg College and Shippensburg University today.

"It's a huge endeavor to start a medical school," said Schneider, who has applied to 15 medical schools, including Commonwealth. "It could be a success. It could be a failure."

Schneider's first choice is Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia but he wanted to hear more about Commonwealth, which is offering to pay half the four-year tuition of its first 60 students, who will start in the fall.

That could be a deal-maker for some. Ken Hess, F&M chemistry professor and health professions adviser, said it's not uncommon for a newly minted doctor to have close to $200,000 in debt from undergraduate and medical school bills.

Hess knows of about eight to 10 F&M students or graduates who have applied to the new school.

Dr. Ray Smego, associate dean of the new college, said the college specifically is recruiting students who have community ties in Pennsylvania in the hopes they will remain here.

It has broken ground on a new medical science building and has set up relationships with community hospitals in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport, where students will do their clinical training.


Staff writer Cindy Stauffer can be reached at cstauffer@LNPnews.com or 481-6024.