New medical schools in Utah and Louisiana receive accreditation

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) has granted preliminary accreditation to two new medical schools in the United States: the BYU School of Medicine in Provo, Utah, and the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Both institutions are preparing to welcome their inaugural classes in July 2027. Applications for both programs are expected to open in the coming weeks. The BYU School of Medicine, a project announced in July 2024, marks a significant milestone for Brigham Young University. The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine is a partnership between Xavier University of Louisiana and Ochsner Health, representing the only medical school at a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the Gulf South.

The establishment of these schools aims to address physician shortages in their respective regions. In Louisiana, 60 of the state's 64 parishes are designated as health professional shortage areas, while Utah also faces a shortage of doctors.