Alabama Osteopathic Medical Association has voiced concerns about Auburn's new medical school through a letter to President Jay Gogue and Gov. Robert Bentley.
"We want to do what is right for the profession of osteopathic medicine," said Brent Boyett, presidentelect of ALOMA. "We believe at this time the additional medical school would put too much stress on the supply of applicants and supply of quality training sites."
Boyett said everyone in the association was part of the decision to send the letter.
"We opened up this question to our general membership back in our summer meeting," Boyett said. "There were even people there that were Auburn graduates and others that had close connections with Auburn University. With those facts that were presented, it was an unanimous vote that we write a letter of concern to President Gogue and Gov. Bentley."
So far the association has not received a response from Gogue, but the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine sent out a statement addressing the letter and its concerns.
"Auburn and VCOM have not had the opportunity to meet with the association yet," said Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, dean and executive vice president of VCOM.
ALOMA's concerns revolve around the quality and quantity of clinical rotations available for third-and-fourth year medical students, Boyett said.
"It is not enough to talk about the classroom training," Boyett said. "You have to be able to address clinical training as well."
E. Jason Hatfield, former president of ALOMA, said although Alabama may be able to support four medical schools, adding another medical school this soon could be troublesome for people in charge of clinical rotations.
Boyett said adding an additional 150 freshmen medical school seats to the 150 that are currently being added by the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan would dilute the qualified applicant pool at both medical schools.
"This could create a recruitment competition that could be detrimental to both Auburn's medical school and Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan, Alabama," Boyett said.
Tooke-Rawlins said Auburn has done the necessary groundwork to ensure Auburn medical students will have enough training for future careers.
"We did the due diligence required to assure we could provide a high quality clinical training program and develop new residencies for the students when they graduate," Tooke-Rawlins said.
Boyett believes Auburn's medical school has not taken the right steps to give its students everything to prepare them for medical careers.
"(The University's) contributions to our state, region and the world is without question, but we believe that the leadership has been poorly advised with regard to this matter," Boyett said.
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