BREAKING: North Carolina’s newest medical school, the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, has just received official accreditation, paving the way for its inaugural class to begin in July 2026. This major milestone comes as the region faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, with authorities emphasizing the need for new doctors across all specialties.
Located in Fayetteville, this state-of-the-art facility represents a $65 million investment and is a collaboration between Methodist University and the Cape Fear Valley Health System. “We are short of doctors in every single specialty in this region, and the purpose of this medical school is to correct that,” stated Dr. Hershey Bell, Founding Dean of the school.
In just 10 days, the school will begin accepting applications, anticipating an overwhelming response with expectations of 2,000 to 2,500 applications. The selection process will involve interviews with about 350 students this fall and winter, ultimately admitting 64 students into its charter class.
The medical school has already made significant strides, hiring over 50 faculty and staff and planning to engage more than 200 clinical faculty at Cape Fear Valley Health System. This initiative not only promises to enhance medical education but also aims to address the pressing healthcare needs of the local community.
As the school gears up for its first class, residents and future students alike are eager to see how this development will transform healthcare delivery in the region.
Stay tuned for updates as the application process opens and the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine prepares to welcome its first cohort of medical students. This is a significant step towards improving healthcare access and quality in North Carolina.
