The University of Missouri has expanded its medical school in Springfield, a move that is expected to increase the number of doctors in the region. The new campus, located on the Jack Henry campus near Battlefield Road and Highway 65, will host Springfield-area students across four cohorts.

Expansion Details

The expansion will help students get situated in the Ozarks more quickly and effectively, according to David Haustein, associate dean. Previously, students attended their first two years in Columbia, then could finish their final two years, including clinicals, at the old Springfield campus on National Avenue.

MU President Mun Choi said that the campus represents the growth of all the partnerships involved, including the university’s partnership with Springfield’s two major healthcare systems, CoxHealth and Mercy Springfield centers. The expansion is expected to help address the shortage of practicing physicians in the state, with 90% of Missouri’s counties currently not having enough doctors.

Impact on the Community

The expansion is also expected to have a positive impact on the local economy, with the university planning to accept cohorts of 32 students in 2027 and hoping to have 128 students in Springfield by 2030. The university may also evaluate the need for a law school in the city, according to Choi.

Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.