University of Missouri to expand Springfield clinical campus

The University of Missouri intends to expand its School of Medicine’s Springfield clinical campus that's been in operation since 2016.

The MU board voted today on the expansion that would grow the 1845 S. National Ave. clinical campus into a full four-year medical program, according to a news release. The school is seeking accrediting approvals for the initiative from the Liaison Committee for Medical Education and the Higher Learning Commission.

“With this expansion, our university will lead the way in addressing the state’s critical physician shortage, particularly in rural areas,” MU President Mun Choi said in the release. "With the approval of this plan to expand instruction at our Springfield campus, we will more than double the number of medical students enrolled there and prepare the next generation of rural health care providers."

The MU clinical campus in Springfield currently has the capacity for 28 third-year students and 28 fourth-year students annually. They complete clinical rotations through partnerships with CoxHealth and Mercy Springfield Communities after they spent their first two years of medical school with classroom instruction in Columbia.

With the expansion, the Springfield campus would accommodate first-year students starting in 2027, and by fall 2030, capacity is expected to reach four classes of 32 students, or 128 in total. With the expansion, MU would have more than 670 medical students in Springfield and Columbia.

Officials noted in the release that curriculum at the Springfield and Columbia campuses would be identical and utilize livestreamed and recorded lectures as needed. Additionally, shared faculty resources and an expanded simulation lab are planned.

“Medical students will soon be able to complete all four years of their medical education in Springfield with clinical rotations in the region,” said Richard J. Barohn, executive vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, in the release. “It’s an opportunity to learn medicine in a close-knit community while remaining fully connected to the resources of a major research university.”

The Springfield clinical campus, which is across the street from Mercy Hospital Springfield, debuted in June 2016 in a former law office building, according to past reporting. Asked if the expected student growth would necessitate an expanded or new location, MU Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs Christopher Ave said "location and other logistics are still being worked out." 

MU's planned expansion of its Springfield clinical campus builds on recent local momentum to shore up the health care education and workforce sectors.

The Alliance for Healthcare Education, a partnership between CoxHealth, Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield Public Schools formed in 2023, broke ground late last month on a $15 million renovation project at Cox North Hospital as part of the organization's goal of creating affordable pathways into health care careers and address workforce shortages, according to past reporting. Roughly 45,000 square feet is being renovated in space at Cox College, which is merging its programming into the alliance.