URGENT UPDATE: North Carolina’s newest medical school, the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, has just received official accreditation, paving the way for its inaugural class to begin recruitment. Located in Fayetteville, N.C., this state-of-the-art facility will open its doors for classes in July 2026, marking a significant advancement in the region’s healthcare landscape.
The $65 million project, a collaboration between Methodist University and the Cape Fear Valley Health System, aims to address the critical shortage of physicians in the area. “We are short of doctors in every single specialty in this region, and the purpose of this medical school is to correct that,” stated Dr. Hershey Bell, Founding Dean of the school. This initiative promises to enhance healthcare accessibility and quality for local communities.
Starting within the next 10 days, the medical school will begin accepting applications, anticipating an overwhelming response of approximately 2,000 to 2,500 applications. The selection process will include interviews for about 350 candidates this fall or winter, with plans to ultimately enroll 64 students in its charter class.
To ensure a high-quality education, the school has already hired over 50 faculty and staff, and will leverage a network of more than 200 clinical faculty from the Cape Fear Valley Health System. This robust support system is designed to provide students with extensive hands-on training and experience, vital for their future careers in medicine.
As the medical school gears up for its opening, the local community looks on with hope. The establishment of this institution is expected to not only bolster the medical workforce but also stimulate economic growth in the region.
Stay tuned for more updates as applications open and the school prepares for its first class of future physicians. The urgency of this development cannot be overstated, as it represents a vital step forward in addressing healthcare needs in North Carolina.
