Leadership from Thomas Jefferson University joined Beebe Healthcare and the University of Delaware in Lewes to discuss plans for expediting the state's first medical school. The discussion was held at UD's Virden Center July 9.

The goal of creating the school is to sustain a pipeline of physicians that originate in Delaware and commit to staying in Delaware during their medical career, and mitigate the growing physician shortage.

"We're going to be moving very, very quickly," said Dr. Joe Cacchione, Jefferson CEO. "We will be inclusive, we will be innovative and we will be aligned with the needs of Delaware. This is not about Philadelphia; this is about this community."

The Rural Health Transformation Fund will contribute $78 million over five years to launch the school. 

"[For] the first cohort who commit to practicing in Delaware for five years after graduation, school will be free," said Dr. Neil Hockstein, chair of the Delaware Health Care Commission.

The Delaware medical school will be part of Jefferson's Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

Beebe Healthcare and Bayhealth are part of a consortium of healthcare providers and academic partners across the state that will each have a unique role.

For the first two years, classes will be held at the University of Delaware in Newark, because the infrastructure is already in place.

Students will then join the consortium partners and be exposed to rural settings to understand the communities in which they will work.

Those students will require affordable housing during their time in local communities.

Dr. Laura Carlson, University of Delaware president, said the school is looking at its Daiber housing campus in Lewes for a possible solution for students who train at Beebe. The campus is located on Sussex Drive behind Fred Thomas Middle School.

"That property has capacity, and I'm really grateful for the conversations I've been having with Lewes about how do we reenvision that location and think about creating an opportunity for additional affordable housing," Carlson said.

Joe Conaway, the former chair of the Sussex Economic Development Action Committee, told the leaders that he's concerned they did not talk enough about the impact on Sussex County.

But Jefferson University President Dr. Susan Aldridge said student opportunities will be centered on the community here.

"We'll be working with our partners at Beebe, Bayhealth and La Red," she said. "There will be opportunities for [students] to learn, volunteer, run vaccine clinics, alongside health professionals. They will be exposed to the [community] from the first year, all the way through."

Brenden Groll is excited about one day following in his grandfather's footsteps and practicing medicine at Beebe. Dr. Jerry Groll was a physician at Beebe for more than 30 years. Brenden graduated from Cape Henlopen High School and the University of Delaware. He has been accepted to the Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Groll said growing up in Lewes and seeing the need for more doctors here shaped his desire to go to medical school.

"I'm really looking forward to more opportunities down here, home, where I live, just to be able to be around my family and provide for the patients who need it now," Groll said.

Jefferson plans to begin a marketing program for the new medical school this fall. Applications will open in May 2027. The first group of 40 students will enroll for the fall 2028 semester.