Jacksonville University began construction Wednesday of the region’s first four-year medical school.
JU and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine broke ground on the project at JU’s Medical Mall, an area of the university that integrates education, training and clinical services in health sciences.
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, known as LECOM, is investing about $50 million to develop its Jacksonville location. The school will welcome its inaugural class of about 75 medical students in 2026, with total enrollment expected to grow to nearly 150 students annually within five years.
By 2030, the school is expected to support more than 600 jobs with an estimated economic impact of $60 million per year, according to a news release.
“LECOM has always been dedicated to advancing medical education, and the opening of our
new campus in Jacksonville is a pivotal moment for the region’s health care future,” Dr. John M.
Ferretti, president and CEO of LECOM, said in the release. “This facility will not only train the next generation of physicians but also strengthen the health care workforce in Northeast Florida, improving access to quality care and addressing the region’s growing medical needs.”
LECOM says it is the nation’s largest medical college and osteopathic academic health system. It operates other schools in Bradenton; Elmira, New York; Greensburg, Pennsylvania; and its original site in Erie, Pennsylvania.
LECOM also has clinical education teaching agreements with more than 100 hospitals and clinics throughout 10 states, including Florida.
Osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest-growing health care professions, according to JU officials. Its philosophy is that physicians should treat the whole patient, rather than just symptoms.
The Osteopathic Medical Profession Report states that almost 135,000 osteopathic physicians were practicing in 2021 in the U.S., with more than 25% of medical students training for it.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan called LECOM “a fantastic addition to Jacksonville University, our region’s medical system and the city as a whole.”
“Jacksonville has some of the best health care institutions in the country,” Deegan said. “The addition of LECOM will ensure we have the doctors to support our fast-growing city for decades to come. I look forward to seeing the impact LECOM and its inaugural graduating class will have on our
community.”
JU’s Medical Mall includes the university’s 104,000-square-foot Health Sciences Complex, School of Orthodontics and Occupational Therapy teaching facility, and the 146-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, Dolphin Pointe Health Care.
Several clinical education partners will welcome third- and fourth-year medical students from
LECOM at Jacksonville University. They include Baptist Health, Nemours Children’s Health and Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital.
Additional clinical training sites include Ascension St. Vincent’s, Jacksonville VA Clinics, Cancer Specialists of North Florida, Borland Groover, Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute, Duval County Medical Examiner’s Office, HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, MBB Radiology, UF Health St. Johns, AdventHealth, Island Doctors, Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, Wekiva Springs Center and Gateway.
