GARY | Elissa Abbruscato helped make history this month for the Indiana University medical school in Gary.

Abbruscato, 22, of Munster, was part of the largest-ever entering class at the regional medical school when studies began Aug. 4.

The beefed up class is part of an Indiana University plan to grow medical school enrollment statewide by 30 percent during the next few years. The expansion ultimately could depend on getting state funding of at least $5 million yearly.

IU decided to increase enrollment in the state's only medical school in response to projected physician shortages nationwide. A 2006 IU School of Medicine task force predicted an Indiana shortage of 1,975 doctors by 2015.

The daughter of two physicians, Abbruscato grew up knowing medicine was a career choice.

It wasn't until she observed surgery performed that the calling came.

"I got really excited," Abbruscato said. "I was like, 'Yeah!'"

If plans work as IU officials hope, Abbruscato and some of her 23 classmates could stay in Northwest Indiana far longer than previous classes.

Of the expected 14 additional students in each of the next six years at IU's medical school, some will be expected to train at hospitals near the eight regional medical schools, including in Northwest Indiana.

That's a change from previous years, when students all headed back to the campus in Indianapolis to train at hospitals in and around the city after completing two years of classroom study at the regional campuses.

"It's a very big move because this hasn't happened before," said Stephen Leapman, IU executive associate dean for educational affairs.

Plans are to raise private funds to renovate the medical school classroom building on the IU Northwest campus to accommodate growing class sizes, Medical School Assistant Dean Patrick Bankston said.

A bigger challenge will be recruiting local physicians to help train students, who could enter rotations at local hospitals as soon as next year.

"It's our job to recruit the best doctors we can," Bankston said.

Hospital administrators typically are cooperative, Leapman said.

"Where the rubber hits the road is finding the faculty," he added.

Doctors give up time and money to train future physicians. The ability to pay them would help, Leapman said.

The hope is that the 2009 General Assembly will support a measure that includes $5 million yearly for expanding IU medical school capacity.

The initiative would lend status to Northwest Indiana hospitals, which compete head on with Illinois hospitals.

"There are people who don't trust the doctors and hospitals around here," Bankston said. "There's the impression we don't have good doctors. This will help change that perception."