ASU’s New Medical School: Pioneering a Tech-Forward, Community-Integrated Approach to Healthcare
Arizona State University is poised to revolutionize medical education with the launch of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering in 2026. This innovative school aims to address Arizona’s healthcare workforce shortages and improve health outcomes through a unique curriculum blending medicine, engineering, emerging technology, and health humanities. The initiative is supported by a $50 million investment from the City of Phoenix, the largest direct investment in a single bioscience project in the city’s history, and a nine-figure gift from alum John Shufeldt.
A New Kind of Doctor: The Physician-Engineer
ASU President Michael Crow envisions a new type of physician – the “physician-engineer” – equipped to solve complex healthcare challenges. “Our medical engineers are going to be trained in AI systems,” Crow said in an interview with The State Press. “They’re going to be trained in engineering, and they’re going to be trained in medicine, and we think it’s going to produce a more comprehensive, capable doctor.” Every graduate will earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) with a Master of Science (MS) in medical engineering.
Curriculum: A Three-Phased, Interdisciplinary Approach
The four-year program is structured around three phases:
- Pre-Clerkship (16 months): Students will learn to interpret clinical data, create and utilize AI tools, and integrate these tools into their learning process. The curriculum will approach the body and medical instruments from an engineering perspective, focusing on systems and data analysis.
- Clerkship (12 months): Students will complete six clinical rotations, each followed by an “innovation week” dedicated to designing projects based on their experiences.
- Post-Clerkship (18 months): Students will undertake an innovation project, identifying a problem, designing a solution, and implementing it using digital technology.
The school will feature a medical technology innovation suite, a patient-free space for developing digital tools, with five suites tailored to different healthcare areas linked by an AI hub.
Tech-Forward Clinical Education
Traditional methods of teaching clinical skills and anatomy, such as cadavers and dissections, will be replaced by virtual reality labs and digital patient avatars. Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education Elizabeth Baker explained that this approach provides a more realistic view of functioning bodily systems and avoids ethical concerns associated with cadaver preservation. Students will also interact with AI patients and simulated real-patient scenarios within a flipped classroom model, preparing independently through readings and videos before applying their knowledge in class.
Integrating Health Humanities
The Shufeldt School will emphasize health humanities, focusing on four core competencies: narrative, ethics, structural and systems understanding, and intercultural communication. Associate Dean of Health Humanities Cora Fox highlights the importance of understanding the stories patients tell, navigating cultural values, and recognizing the impact of social structures on health. This approach aims to equip students with a toolkit to address Arizona’s health needs while understanding the communities they serve.
Addressing Arizona’s Healthcare Needs
ASU Health, launched in 2023 as part of the Arizona Board of Regents’ AZ Healthy Tomorrow initiative, seeks to address critical gaps in Arizona’s healthcare system. Currently, Arizona ranks No. 34 in overall healthcare performance, No. 42 in access and affordability, and No. 49 in prevention, and treatment.
Student Perspectives
Prospective students express enthusiasm for the school’s focus on engineering, entrepreneurship, and addressing health disparities. Students are eager to contribute to innovative solutions and serve underserved communities.
Edited by Kate Gore, Henry Smardo and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at sevoorhe@asu.edu and @sydneyontheair on Instagram.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.