The University of Missouri’s Springfield clinical campus is expected to expand into a four-year medical program.
This expansion aims to address Missouri’s physician shortage, particularly in rural areas.
The first class of first-year students is expected to start in Springfield in 2027.
By 2030, the campus will host four classes of 32 students each for both classroom and clinical training.
The University of Missouri’s School of Medicine clinical campus in Springfield is set to expand into a four-year medical program, a measure that will help address the state’s growing physician shortage and the rural healthcare gap.
MU’s Board of Curators voted Sept. 5 to approve the expansion plan. The Liaison Committee for Medical Education, which is the national accrediting body for all allopathic medical schools in the United States, and the Higher Learning Commission, MU’s institutional accreditor, will be the next bodies to make determinations on the plan. The LCME is expected to make a decision in early 2026, according to a press release.
“The University of Missouri has the vital responsibility and great privilege to serve the entire state,” said Todd Graves, MU Board of Curators chair, in a press release. “By expanding our education, research and clinical care opportunities in Springfield, we strengthen our commitment to the people of southwest Missouri and our healthcare partners in the region. This expansion also underscores that continued investment in the University of Missouri is an investment in our state.”
Springfield’s School of Medicine program opened in 2016. Currently, it accepts 28 third-year students and 28 fourth-year students each year. Traditionally, students spend their first two years of medical school in Columbia, where they complete classroom instruction. Curriculum on the Columbia and Springfield campuses will be identical, the press release said, including some lectures that will be livestreamed and recorded bi-directionally from and to both campuses. There will be shared faculty resources and an expanded simulation lab, ensuring a consistent experience across both sites.
The associate dean of the Springfield campus, Dr. David Haustein, will continue to oversee it.
MU Board votes to expand Springfield’s clinical campus
