Duquesne University’s new College of Medicine building opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday morning.
University leaders, faculty and staff along with local officials and community partners made their way to the ceremony with a procession from Old Main, the oldest building on Duquesne’s campus, to the new building, located on Forbes Avenue across from the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
First announced in 2019, the new college seeks to address the nation's growing shortage of doctors. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that by 2032 the U.S. will face a shortage of more than 120,000 physicians, which is expected to especially affect urban and rural communities already lacking access to health services.
“Since its founding, Duquesne has remained committed to making positive change in our region by working with people and communities to meet critical needs,” Duquesne University President Ken Gormley said in a news release on Wednesday. “The medical school will promote equitable access to health care, especially in urban and rural underserved areas, by educating and training the next generation of physicians for this region and beyond.”
The new college will enroll 85 students into its inaugural class pursuing doctor of osteopathic medicine degrees in July and plans to grow its annual enrollment to 170 students each year by 2026.
Wednesday’s ceremony included two of the new students, Rose Trimpey-Warhaftig, the program’s first accepted student, and Jacob Dimenbort, a current student in the college’s masters of biological sciences (MBS) program.
Duquesne’s new building is part of a larger initiative at the university, which includes the renovation of the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse and construction of a new residence hall next to the College of Medicine.
