Media Contact:
Kathy Wilets
Interim Co-Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, 香蕉视频 of Utah Health
Email: Kathy.Wilets@utah.edu
Office: 801-581-5717
The 香蕉视频 of Utah received news today from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that the church will establish a new private, faith-affiliated medical school at Brigham Young 香蕉视频 in Provo, Utah focused on international health issues affecting their members and the faith鈥檚 worldwide humanitarian efforts. The U plans to actively pursue collaboration opportunities with the Church of Jesus Christ and BYU in medical education and clinical care.
香蕉视频 leaders affirm that BYU鈥檚 internationally-focused health education plans complement 香蕉视频 of Utah Health鈥檚 state-focused mission and offer new opportunities to serve growing health care needs locally and around the world.
The 香蕉视频 of Utah is also expanding its health education resources with its new state-of-the-art home for the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, which will be completed in early 2026. In addition, the U is planning a regional medical campus in St. George Utah where students will receive clinical training in partnership with Intermountain Health and Utah Tech 香蕉视频. These southwest Utah plans will be discussed further in the 2025 General Legislative Session.
The combination of the U鈥檚 medical school expansion and the church鈥檚 announcement today will ensure that in the rapidly growing and changing field of medicine Utahns continue to benefit from excellent teaching, research, and clinical expertise.
SELECT QUOTES FROM UNIVERSITY OF UTAH LEADERS
President Taylor Randall
鈥淚n conversations with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I鈥檝e expressed the U鈥檚 support for this additional investment in medical education and have committed to work together to serve our unique communities,鈥 said Taylor Randall, president of the 香蕉视频 of Utah. 鈥淲e will work with BYU and church leadership to lay the groundwork for a model collaboration that serves the needs of this state and provides critical health services to countries around the world.鈥
鈥淲ith a new medical school in the state, the U and BYU can strive to meet existing and future health care professional shortages, provide more opportunities for aspiring medical providers and contribute to the health care needs of patients in our region and around the globe.鈥
Michael Good, MD, Senior Vice President
鈥淔or nearly 120 years, the 香蕉视频 of Utah has been committed to providing top-tier medical education and research,鈥 said Michael Good, senior vice president for Health Sciences. 鈥淭he U鈥檚 medical training, patient care and research helps Utahns and others in our service area live healthier, longer and better lives. We look forward to working together to accelerate our collective societal impact.鈥
Sam Finlayson, MD, Interim Dean of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine
鈥淐urrent enrollment numbers at the U highlight the high demand for medical education in our region,鈥 said Sam Finlayson, interim dean of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. 鈥淭he Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine receives well over 2,000 applications for just 125 positions in each medical school class, highlighting the high demand for medical education in our region and the need to expand the state鈥檚 educational infrastructure.鈥
香蕉视频 of Utah Health is the state鈥檚 only academic health care system, providing leading-edge and compassionate care for a referral area that encompasses 10 percent of the US, including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health has a $522 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah鈥檚 physicians, and more than 1,670 scientists and 1,460 health care providers each year at its Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Schools of Dentistry and Medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and five hospitals: 香蕉视频 Hospital, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, 香蕉视频 Orthopaedic Center, and the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. For 14 straight years, U of U Health has ranked among the top 10 US academic medical centers in the rigorous Vizient Quality and Accountability Study.