Increased funding needed in doctor shortage problem Plans to alleviate the physician problems of Kansas are subject to limitations of anticipated funds, said Dr. George A. Wolf Jr., provost of the University of Kansas Medical Center and dean of the School of Medicine. The Medical Center's proposal, developed by the faculty last fall and included by the Board of Regents in its fund requests, combines long-term and short-term methods of attacking the shortage of physicians. Approximately $1.5 million is needed for the plan for the first year. In comparison to this figure, Gov. Robert B. Docking has recommended $300,000 in his budget message for the first year. The Medical Student Assembly of the University of Kansas Medical Center has expressed similar concern in a press release on the manpower shortage of health personnel in Kansas. "Kansas is just not getting enough doctors to meet the needs of its people," the release stated. "Thirty-six of Kansas' counties have more than 2,000 people per physician. The national average is 756." The statement said that only 25 per cent of the total budget of the Medical Center has been provided by tax dollars from the state. The rest has come from the federal Committee to research new weapons ST. LOUIS (UPI)—Police commissioners in the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County announced formation Tuesday of a committee to investigate development of a "non-lethal" weapon for police officers. The group immediately sent a letter to the director of Law Enforcement Assistance Administration LEAA in Washington, asking for federal funds. The committee said, "A survey to determine the current state of the art of non-lethal weapons research as reflected in law enforcement and other research journals, will be undertaken immediately." Arthur B. Shepley Jr., executive director of the Law Enforcement Foundation, has agreed to commit "a maximum of $5,000 expense money for the committee to pursue LEAA funding of the research and development effort," the committee said. In the letter to LEAA Administrator Charles H. Rogovin, the committee said the development "of an effective non-lethal weapon is a most important and timely research subject." "We anticipate a sophisticated study employing representatives from the fields of law enforcement, medicine, related physical sciences and weapons manufacturers. government, which has made cutbacks in this area, and from earnings for services rendered. "Newly graduated physicians are attracted to those states where the people and the legislature support medicine," the statement reported. Feb. 25 1970 KANSAN 5 "Most importantly, it is necessary to fully fund the requested regular budget of the University Medical Center to maintain quality of present care so that the planned expansion can take place. Without the support of the people of Kansas there will be no chance of meeting the problem before it is too late. Our state will continue to attract and train considerably fewer doctors, nurses and other medical personnel than we need. All the people of Kansas will lose," the statement read. - Approximately $215,000 for the development and improvement of internship and residency training programs in hospitals in the state which, with assistance from the Medical Center, will encourage graduates of other schools to come to Kansas for such training. - Efforts to solve the problems of the diminishing number of physicians and health professionals in the state include the following: - About $900,000 the first year for the raising to adequate levels the stipends of existing internships and residency positions. - About $70,000 the first year for the creation of a new department of family practice which will include a residency program for post-graduate training for those physicians who want to go into family practice. - About $120,000 the first year for the implementation of new curriculum framework, allowing a medical student to complete the M.D. degree in three calendar years, rather than four. To implement this curriculum the administration at the Medical Center said in the budget request there is urgent need for eight more fully funded full-time clinical faculty members. $150,000 for the first year for planning for an eventual increase in the size of the entering class in medical school from 129 to 170 students. This planning includes careful definition of the physical plant requirements such as basic science teaching laboratories, and a new teaching hospital. Wolf said that the freshman medical class entering in September 1970 has been selected, and the total is 129 students. Existing facilities were built for classes of 100 to 110 students and many of the hospital facilities are 30 to 40 years old. The initiation of each of these programs, Wolf said, except the early planning for an enrollment increase, involves a commitment by the legislature to continue them. Increased funding will be required in future years to do this. If the Kansas legislature appropriates the $300,000 recommended by the Governor, the School of Medicine will be able to take significant steps on all the important proposed programs this year, except for internship and residency stipends, Wolf said. "As soon as budget funds are assured," Wolf said, "we can start looking for a chairman of the new family practice department and we can proceed with development of its program. We can begin to work with hospitals, for example in Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City, which want to develop affiliated intership or residency programs." "Our annual requests for funds from the state general revenue funds have been consistently reduced by 15 to 20 per cent. This consistent under-funding is bad for the quality of our programs and morale," he said. Hurry . . . This May Be My Final Week! Steve McQueen "The Reivers" Panavision® & Technicolor® A Cinema Center Films Presentation A National General Pictures Release Eve. 7:30 & 9:30 Mat. Sat. - Sun. 2:30 Adult 1.50; Child. 75 Use Kansan Classified Catherine Spaak and Jean-Louis Trintignant Eve. 7:20 & 9:05 Mat. Sat. - Sun. 2:20 Adult 1.50 THE Hillcrest The NOW Movie Of Our Year Starts March 4th HILLCREST SHOPPING CENTER + 9TH AND IOWA easy RIDER PETER FONDA - DENNIS HOPPER JACK NICHOLSON STARTS WEDNESDAY March 4 at the "More gropings, seducings, plunging necklines, plots and counterplots than 'Tom Jones'!"—Pleashey COLUMBIA PICTURES presents A DOMINO PRODUCTION COLOR Even Tom Jones Never Had It So Good! R Now Thru Sat. Only Eve. 7:15 9:10 Rated R Adults 1.50 VIVA MAX! IS HERE!