By ADAM ASHTON
BEE STAFF WRITER

MODESTO BEE
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Last Updated: March 4, 2006, 04:54:11 AM PST

California's newest university is setting its sights on bringing a medical school to the San Joaquin Valley, a project doctors say could improve health care in one of the state's chronically underserved regions.

University of California at Merced officials plan to make a pitch for a medical school at a UC Board of Regents health committee meeting this spring.

If the regents sign off on the proposal, UC Merced could have a medical program running in partnership with a variety of valley hospitals by 2012.

"We're doing this on a very fast track," said Maria Pallavicini, dean of the university's school of natural sciences.

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