The University of Denver is exploring the launch of a medical school to help fill the looming physician shortage expected under national health reform.

A DU School of Medicine would be only the third such institution in Colorado, after longstanding University of Colorado and the more recent Rocky Vista University for osteopaths.

DU chancellor Robert Coombe announced the medical school feasibility study in a letter to students and faculty. Consultants respected in the medical community have begun interviews and other fact-finding efforts.

National studies estimate the U.S. will be short 40,000 primary care doctors by 2020, due to demands of health reform’s expanded insurance coverage and the attraction of higher-paying specialties.

“To determine if the University could help to fill this serious health services gap, we are embarking on a study to determine the feasibility of opening a medical school here on the DU campus with a focus on training primary care physicians,” Coombe wrote.

Coombe and provost Gregg Kvistad said the medical school could further DU’s mission to “serve the public good,” while deepening science and engineering programs.

Medical executives outside DU called the study a potentially worthy effort, but perhaps the wrong solution to the problem.

They agree the U.S. and Colorado in particular face a drastic shortage in primary care doctors in coming years.

But the shortage, they added, is primarily from lack of primary care residency programs to finish doctor training, and the huge debt loads that steer graduates to specialties like surgery.

Students graduating from a new DU program would face the same roadblocks.

“The reason we have a primary care shortage is not because we have a shortage in medical schools,” said University of Colorado School of Medicine Dean Dr. Richard Krugman.

Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com; Twitter: @mboothdp