For immediate release
May 22, 2007
CHICAGO – The California Court of Appeal has accepted an amicus brief from the American Medical Association (AMA) Litigation Center and California Medical Association (CMA) in support of the medical student plaintiffs in the case, Kashmiri v. Regents of the University of California . The Regents of University of California (UC) failed to honor a contract with UC medical students that promised no tuition increases subsequent to enrollment.
"The University of California explicitly promised its medical students that they would not increase tuition," said Rebecca J. Patchin, MD, AMA Board Member and California physician. "They went back on their word and allowed repeated increases, disrupting the students' financial planning and jeopardizing their ability to continue their studies."
"Medical students graduate with an average debt of more than $130,000, a number that continues to increase," said Dr. Patchin. "In fact, public university medical student debt has gone up by an astounding 360 percent since 1984. The high cost of medical education often affects graduates' career choices, forcing them away from practicing medicine in underserved areas or practicing primary care medicine."
The Regents, a 26-member board that governs the University of California , began increasing the tuition for continuing professional degree program students in December 2002. These tuition increases came after UC Regents promised students in the professional degree programs that they would not increase tuition during their enrollment. By last spring, tuition fees had been increased between $1,213 and $10,213, depending on the program.
On March 2, 2006 , Judge James L. Warren awarded the students more than $30 million in damages and granted permanent injunctive relief. The case is now on appeal.
###
Editor's Note :
Complete text of the Kashmiri amicus brief (PDF, 188KB)
For more information, please contact:
Melissa Smith
AMA Media Relations
(312) 464-4443
Content provided by: Media Relations