UNC medical school expands in Charlotte, Asheville

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine announced Tuesday that it would expand programs at regional campuses in Asheville and Charlotte.

The expansion enables UNC to increase its medical school class size from 160 students to 170 in 2011 and to 180 in 2012 by sending some third- and fourth-year medical students to Asheville and Charlotte to complete their clinical education.

The Asheville Regional Campus, which currently enrolls 10 students, is in its second year of collaboration with Mission Health System and the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC).

The Charlotte Regional Campus will operate in collaboration with Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC Charlotte. The campus will be located at Carolinas Medical Center. Currently, 22 UNC students are enrolled at the Charlotte campus. Carolinas HealthCare will spend $4 million to renovate facilities for the medical students.