Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine hosts groundbreaking

By Stephanie Meador, posted Sep 10, 2024 on BizFayetteville.com

This morning, Sept. 10, the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine (SOM) hosted SOM leadership, faculty, staff, donors, partners, community organizations and many more at the official groundbreaking for the new school located at the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville.

“Isn’t it amazing to think that before long, we'll be welcoming our first class of medical students right here in this very spot?” said Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Michael Nagowski to the crowd gathered at the groundbreaking. “This project is going to physically transform this campus, but more important than that, it will physically transform our region, because we’re going to be able to recruit and retain desperately needed physicians.”

This new medical school will address a critical need in our area for experienced healthcare providers. By 2034, the Association of American Medical Colleges projects nationwide shortages of up to 48,000 primary care physicians and up to 77,100 non-primary care specialty physicians.

The new Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine will positively impact healthcare and economics in local communities and regional communities now and for generations to come.

Some of these impacts include:

$72M annual increase in regional spending
$9.6M annual tax payments to all governments
837 expected local jobs generated

The success of this project would not be possible without collaboration.

“Our partnership shows that when two important organizations get together and they bring trust and commitment to that relationship, great things will happen in this community,” shared Methodist University President Stanley Wearden.

Research shows that 67% of physicians who complete both medical school and residency in an area stay in that area for practice.

Dr. Hershey Bell with Dr. Robert Rich pictured in front of a rendering of the future school of medicine courtyard. Photos by GFBJ.

“Our purpose is singular. It’s to recruit students from our region, our middle schools, our high schools, our community colleges, our universities to be our medical students will then populate our primary care and specialty residency and fellowship training programs to graduate to become our physicians who will compassionately and masterfully serve the patients of our region, improve access to health care and improve health outcomes. This will be a school completely dedicated to the health care needs of our region, and it’ll be a school that will be accountable to the social needs of our region, and will engage the community in all of its activities,” remarked Founding Dean of the new SOM Dr. Hershey Bell.

The school’s faculty are already developing the curriculum for anticipated LCME accreditation in 2025. With accreditation, the goal is to welcome the first cohort of students in 2026.

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