If Gov. Matt Meyer had announced 16 months ago there would be a medical school in Delaware, he said, everyone would have thought he was crazy.

But healthcare professionals from across the state applauded his announcement June 2, that Delaware’s first medical school will be coming soon to the University of Delaware in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University.

“It will take its first class of students in the summer of 2028,” he said to a crowd of supporters outside Westside Family Healthcare in Dover. “If you know someone who is a junior in college, in Delaware or elsewhere, who wants to go to medical school, they’ll have a place to apply in Delaware.”

The first class will include 40 students, and if they all commit to practicing medicine in rural Delaware, Meyer said their education will be a free ride.

“For any student in the initial cohort who commits to practicing in rural Delaware, it will be a free medical education,” he said.

Using $78 million over five years from the federal Rural Health Transformation Fund, Delaware’s medical school will be part of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. Classes will be held at University of Delaware because its high-tech setup has anatomy and simulation labs already in place, which are necessary for the medical school’s pre-clinical phase.

Neil Hochstein, chair of the Delaware Healthcare Commission, said the medical school will be up and running before the federal grant expires, and he is confident the school will eventually be self-sustaining without an influx of state money.  

“The sooner we start, the sooner we get that first class in, the more tuition we can supplement to build this program and attract students,” he said.

Susan Aldridge, president of Thomas Jefferson University, described the partnership as a consortium of Delaware’s leading academic institutions, health systems and community health systems.

Other medical school partners include Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College, Beebe Healthcare, Bayhealth and other healthcare providers. Aldridge said ChristianaCare is welcome to join the consortium any time they want to join.

Rep. Alonna Berry, D-Milton, said she often hears her constituents talk about the need for more doctors.

“Whether it's finding a primary care provider, securing mental health services or navigating specialty care, too many Delawareans face barriers simply because of where they live,” she said. “This is about more than workforce numbers; it’s about ensuring a child in Sussex County, a senior in Kent County, a family in any corner of this state can access quality healthcare anywhere in the state close to home.”

Beebe Healthcare CEO and President David Tam said the partnership will build a stronger pipeline for education, training and clinical experience in Delaware, and Beebe is proud to be part of an effort that can help strengthen care for area communities for generations to come. 

“Today is an important step forward for Sussex County and for the future of rural healthcare. Beebe has cared for communities at the heart of rural Delaware since 1916, and we have seen firsthand how quickly our region is growing," he said. "The urgent need for more physicians, nurses and other highly skilled clinicians is real, and it will only continue."