Updated: August 6, 2015 at 7:17 p.m.

Syracuse University is exploring the idea of creating a medical school dedicated to veteran and military care.

The idea for a veteran-focused medical school stems from Chancellor Kent Syverud’s call at his inauguration to develop the university into a leader in supporting veterans and military affairs, according to an SU News release.

“A medical school with this unique niche would build on Syracuse University’s long-standing and growing national leadership role focused on serving veterans and their families, and attract national and global interdisciplinary jobs, investment and resources to the region,” said Liz Liddy, interim vice chancellor and provost, in the release.

If deemed feasible, the college would educate doctors to serve the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the national Veterans Affairs hospitals, supplying a needed influx of the more than 22,000 new doctors the VA estimates it will soon need, according to the release.

In addition, it could also attract widespread interdisciplinary research dollars as well as provide pilot programs for other medical programs across the country.

In an article published Thursday night by Syracuse.com, Dr. Gregory Eastwood, the interim president of Upstate Medical University, said he feels the new school would be harmful to the current medical school and would strain resources.

“A second medical school in the Syracuse area can only stress the already limited resources, even if some new resources come from outside,” Eastwood said in the article.

University leaders have also spoken with SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and SUNY Upstate Interim President Dr. Greg Eastwood, assuring both that SU’s potential medical school would compliment, not detract from, the mission of Upstate, according to the release.

In the past five years, the university has brought in approximately $55 million to support its veteran-focused initiatives, according to the release, including the Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, among others.

Syverud and other university leaders recently met with and received encouragement from U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald, as well as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The idea aligns with Cuomo’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative, which calls for “big ideas” to identify ways to boost economic development. The Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, of which Syverud is co-chairman, has created its own competition inspired by Cuomo’s initiative. The winning proposal will receive $500 million in state funding, according to the release.

“Our governor has encouraged us to think big and aim high in ideas that will attract jobs, people and ideas to the Central New York region and enhance its contributions to the nation,” Liddy said in the release.

The idea is still in the exploratory phase, but the university will continue to update the SU community, according to the release.

Published on August 6, 2015 at 3:41 pm

Contact Danny: dmantoot@syr.edu