It took almost a year but university administrators and the College of Medicine faculty finally have a plan they agree on.

University Council approved a sweeping plan Dec. 20 to restructure the medical college. The new plan will split the college into three departments, each with its own vice-dean.

There will be one department responsible for research, one in charge of teaching and a third that will oversee “faculty engagement.”

The new model mirrors the structure of nearly every other Canadian medical school.

Last year accreditors warned the college that it would lose its necessary qualifications if it didn’t drastically reform its practices.

For years the college, according to university administrators, spent too much of its resources treating patients while its other duties suffered. The school notoriously under-performs when it comes to research and its graduates rank dead-last in qualifying exam testing compared to all other major medical colleges in Canada.

To ensure accreditation, the college must convince a team of inspectors expected on campus in March that adequate changes are being made.

When the agency first warned the college that it was at risk of losing accreditation in 2011, Brett Fairbairn, the university provost and vice-president of academics, quickly drew up a restructuring plan. But his plan was widely criticized by the faculty of the college. They argued they were not properly consulted with and fought tooth and nail to be able to create their own plan.

An ad-hoc committee consisting of mostly faculty members was formed to put forward the new plan.

The college’s new governance model will begin to be implemented next fall.

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Photo: On Campus News