A new School of Medicine near Cape Fear Valley Medical Center took another step toward reality Friday morning.
The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. This means it can start recruiting its first class for the summer of 2026.
“It represents a whole new chapter for Methodist University,” Dr. Stanley T. Weardon, president of the university, said during a brief ceremony Oct. 17. “One that builds on our long tradition of academic excellence, innovation and service to this region. For decades, our university has been deeply committed to preparing professionals who make a difference in the lives of others. Now, with this medical school that mission reaches a higher calling.”
A clear autumn sky greeted the announcement event, which was held in front of the school, under construction off Village Drive. The $60 million project is a partnership between the hospital and university.
Mike Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health System, said the medical school helps firmly establish the hospital system’s identity as a “true, academic health system. A place where patient care, teaching and discovery all come together under one health system.”
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education is the accrediting agency for all U.S. and Canadian medical schools that grant MDs, a news release from Methodist states. The medical school will be the first new one in the state in 40 years that is not tied to an existing institution, the release says.
Its focus will be providing clinical experience for medical students in underserved areas. That means, according to Methodist, “students (who become physicians) can make a difference – right away and for generations to come.”
Staying here
A study has shown 70% of medical students settle and practice in the area where they complete their residence. This could have a transformational impact on Cumberland County and the surrounding area, especially in rural and underserved areas, according to university and hospital officials. The School of Medicine broke ground in September 2024.
After the event, Dr. Hershey Bell, who is founding dean of the School of Medicine, said that as a family physician, he’s always been concerned about the impact medicine has on communities.
“And this community is a doctor desert,” he said. “We are struggling for physicians here, and because of that, access to care is harmed. When access is harmed, health outcomes are harmed.