Today, April 15, leadership of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine gathered with the community to celebrate the topping-off ceremony for its new $60-million building. With the ceremonial “final beam” − measuring 27 feet long, 24 inches tall, and weighing 1,500 pounds − covered in signatures, hoisted into place, and a celebratory helicopter flyover drawing eyes skyward, the long-anticipated vision of a medical school in Fayetteville took a major step forward.

“This medical school will raise the health of our population. We will no longer live in a ‘doctor desert.’ We will produce physicians, hopefully, many of them that come from our own community, to care for their community. Also, we know the economic impact that a medical school has…by the end of next year, there will be almost 100 people working as a part of the medical school, training almost 500 students who are learning to not only practice the scientific part of medicine, but also the art of medicine,” remarked Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Mike Nagowski during the ceremony. 

The building is 127,476 square feet and construction required 1,000 tons of steel and 3,700 cubic yards of concrete. The new medical school will have five floors with 200 rooms and a courtyard with outdoor seating. 

“We are going to have a state-of-the-art virtual anatomy lab, [and a] state-of-the-art standardized patient lab. When students come through our door, they’re going to see technology like they’ve never seen it before,” shared Dean of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine Dr. Hershey Bell.
The first class is set to step foot inside the building in July 2026. This inaugural class will feature 64 students. Once the school reaches full enrollment, classes will include 120 students.

“Our mission at Methodist University has always been rooted in service, and we’ve been deeply involved in healthcare education for more than 25 years through programs like Physician Assistant Studies, Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy and more,” said Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, president of Methodist University. “The School of Medicine is the next logical step − one that raises our visibility and elevates us to a new level as an institution.”

The startup cost for a medical school is $130 million. Thanks to philanthropic gifts, grants, in-kind contributions of MU and CFVH and other funding sources, Dr. Hershey Bell reported that every dollar of that cost is already accounted for.

The new medical school in Fayetteville will make a difference not just in health and health education, but in the entire economic community.
So far, 31 people have been hired as part of the leadership team, faculty and staff at the new medical school. By July 2025 they will have hired 70 people, and by 2027 they will have hired 100 people. Over 150 Cape Fear Valley Health physicians have already been enrolled as part of the clinical faculty. They expect that number to grow to over 400 physicians on faculty.

“When I think about the mission of the medical school, there are six elements, and to me, three of them are outward facing, and three of them are result oriented. The three outward-facing elements are that we are socially accountable, community engaged and equity focused...Our three result-oriented elements are that our graduates will be evidence-based, compassionate physician leaders who will end health disparities in our community and wherever they choose to practice. This building was designed to enable all six elements of our mission and allow us to express them through how we teach, how we embrace the community and how we ensure that health care will continuously improve because of our presence,” shared Dean of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine Dr. Hershey Bell.

“This will be truly transformative. And I think we're beginning to see that transformation happen already,” added Wearden. 

For additional details about the new medical school, see this story written by GFBJ Editor Faith Hatton.

Stay up to date with the progress on the school of medicine at methodist.edu/medicine.