New Medical School Planned by Jacksonville University

News Summary

Jacksonville University is collaborating with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to establish a new medical school in Arlington. Set to be built on a 10-acre site, the school aims to accommodate 75 medical students by July 2026, with plans to increase enrollment to 150 students annually. The project is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the local community, creating around 600 jobs and injecting $60 million annually into Jacksonville’s economy.

Exciting News for Jacksonville: A New Medical School is on the Way!

Jacksonville is buzzing with excitement as plans for a brand-new medical school are underway, thanks to a partnership between Jacksonville University (JU) and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). This project isn’t just a big deal for JU; it’s a major step forward for the healthcare landscape in Northeast Florida!

The Details: Where and When

The upcoming medical school will be located on nearly 10 acres at 5415 Dolphin Point Blvd., just north of JU’s scenic riverfront campus in the Arlington neighborhood. The construction plan is now under review by the city, and so far, it looks like an ambitious endeavor. This new campus is set to cost approximately $36.55 million, with LECOM investing a whopping $50 million into development efforts!

LECOM officially acquired the land on March 21, 2023, for about $5.22 million. They’ve already got the ball rolling by hiring RH Constructors Inc. to handle the initial site-clearing phase, which comes with a price tag of around $846,000. After that, Danis Construction LLC will take over for the construction of the concrete foundations and structural steel, estimated to cost about $2.7 million.

An Impressive Space for Future Doctors

Once complete, the school will feature an impressive three-story structure that covers about 72,000 square feet. The project plans were officially presented to the city by Taylor & White Inc., a local civil engineering firm, back on October 16, 2022.

The first cohort of approximately 75 medical students is slated to begin their studies in July 2026. And here’s something exciting: the plan is to ramp up enrollment to a total of 150 students per year within just five years. This is a significant move that promises to boost medical training opportunities right here in Jacksonville!

Bringing Healthcare Closer to Home

The new medical school is set to be a vital component of JU’s Medical Mall, which already hosts a variety of health-related educational facilities. LECOM stands proudly as the nation’s largest medical college, with existing campuses in Pennsylvania and New York. By expanding into Jacksonville, they aim to address the increasing healthcare demands of the area and enhance overall access to vital healthcare services.

A Boon for Jacksonville’s Economy

This exciting development is also expected to have a significant economic impact. By 2030, the project is projected to create about 600 jobs and inject around $60 million annually into the local economy. That’s a win-win for both aspiring medical professionals and the community at large.

Setting the Stage for Innovation

With the endorsement of local leaders, including JU’s President and Jacksonville’s Mayor, the emphasis remains on how transformative this medical school will be for the north end of the JU campus and how it will contribute to local healthcare innovation. There’s a shared optimism that this new facility will stimulate not just educational breakthroughs but economic growth and positive changes in healthcare access for everyone in the Jacksonville area.

As LECOM moves forward, they’re also hard at work filing for accreditation with the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, with their application submitted on October 12, 2022. All these efforts signify a bright future for aspiring medical professionals and the Jacksonville community as a whole!

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Additional Resources

• Jax Daily Record: LECOM’s Medical School Permit in Review
• Wikipedia: Medical School
• Jacksonville.com: Construction Starting at Medical School
• Google Search: Jacksonville Medical School
• WOKV: Jacksonville University Begins Construction of Medical School
• Google Scholar: Medical Education
• Jax Daily Record: LECOM at Jacksonville University Breaks Ground
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Osteopathic Medicine
• WOKV: LECOM and Jacksonville University Groundbreaking Ceremony
• Google News: Jacksonville Medical School News