Last week, the Boston University School of Medicine broke ground on a new student residence on Albany Street, near the Crosstown Building. Mayor Menino was on hand alongside university leaders and student representatives. Not only was this an encouraging project for the economic development of Boston, but also it portends assistance to defray the high cost of medical education
Tuition, fees, and health insurance at BU’s School of Medicine run $51,134 for the current academic year. Only 4 other medical schools in the country charge more according to data collected by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Of course, the median for all private medical colleges is a not-too-cheap $47,408.
By building its own low-rent apartments, BU can help mitigate the high cost of tuition in a relatively high-cost city. This benefits more than just the institution. A recent study of primary care doctors suggests that easing medical students’ debt can help increase the number of physicians who practice in underserved areas.