Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) is working with Delaware to expand medical education to rural parts of the state.
The agreement will bring a partnership between state leaders and TJU’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College to increase access to health care, especially in rural and underserved areas, and enhance the overall quality of care by placing medical students and graduate trainees directly into Delaware’s health systems.
Why It Matters
This partnership is part of Delaware Governor Matt Meyer’s plan to bolster rural health care access. Early this month, Meyer outlined the plan in his application for federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
The plan focuses on expanding care access, lowering costs and increasing the medical workforce in Kent and Sussex counties. One of his promises is to bring a four-year medical school to the First State and establish a student-to-residency pipeline, providing in-state education and job security at a Delaware health system and building a sustainable health care labor force in areas that need it the most.
What To Know
According to Spotlight Delaware, TJU and Delaware leaders signed an agreement before the governor announced it submitted the application for the federal funds.
The goal, according to the joint memo, is to establish a four-year medical school in Delaware to address physician workforce needs, increase access to care and strengthen the state’s health care infrastructure.
“Furthermore, the collaboration will explore innovative methods by which to address the future of medical education and the provision of healthcare in a longer-term, sustainable manner,” the memo said.
The memo, which was signed on October 29, said the Delaware Institute for Medical Education and Research (DIMER) program will not only help Delaware students, but will create opportunities that will attach students from across the country to train and work in Delaware.
Additionally, TJU and Delaware will also collaborate to create direct pathways into residency programs, expand graduate medical education across the state and develop and fund a robust student loan repayment program to encourage medical school graduates and residents to practice in Delaware and maximize retention of physicians in Delaware.
This program will be funded by the state of Delaware, with the memo noting that TJU will not undertake the financial burden of the expansion. Both parties, however, promise to engage in good faith collaboration and communication as they work in alignment with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) on project requirements.
What Happens Next
The first phase of the plan focuses on enhancing the Sidney Kimmel Medical College campus in Delaware. This includes codifying the number of students placed in Delaware for clinical training, providing tuition support to students and ensuring the majority of clinical training occurs in Delaware. The planning for that starts this year and the goal is to incentivize SKMC to select clinical placement in 2017 in Delaware to take place from April 2028 through April 2029.
The second phase is to establish a four-year brand of SKMC in Delaware with an emphasis on training in primary care and rural medicine. The goal is to have the first cohort start in the Fall of 2027.
Within 90 days of signing the memo, both parties promised to identify internal leadership teams and engage with external consultants to help with planning, financing and accreditation preparation.
What People Are Saying
Neil Hockstein, chair of the Delaware Healthcare Commission, said in a statement on November 12: “The Rural Health Transformation Program is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen Delaware’s entire healthcare workforce—from allied health and support staff to nurses, behavioral health professionals, and physicians. These funds will help us invest in the people and technologies needed to deliver high-quality care in every corner of our state. This isn’t just a program; it’s an investment in our future and in a stronger, more resilient health system for every Delawarean.”
Newsweek reached out to Thomas Jefferson University and Delaware Governor Matt Meyer for comment.
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