ASU's new John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering has received preliminary accreditation and a nine-figure gift from namesake alum John Shufeldt, the second largest in the University's history. This milestone advances the University's effort to reshape medical education and address Arizona's health care workforce shortage.
In a press conference, ASU Health Executive Vice President Sherine Gabriel, donor Shufeldt, founding Dean Sarah Hollingsworth "Holly" Lisanby, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and HonorHealth CEO Todd LaPorte discussed the school's mission, future impact and the significance of the gift.
Gabriel opened by recalling how the Arizona Board of Regents' 2023 Arizona Healthy Tomorrow initiative challenged the state's top 3 public universities to tackle Arizona's declining health care shortages and low health outcomes.
"ASU delivered ASU Health — an entirely new, multifaceted approach containing eight distinct, coordinated elements that work together to drive innovation and improve health by not working in a silo, but leveraging all the health assets across all of ASU, the nation's most innovative," Gabriel said.
A pivotal part of the plan for ASU Health was the creation of the medicine and engineering programs — a "first of its kind" approach designed to train physicians to develop innovative solutions to today's health care challenges.
Students in the program will gain hands-on clinical experience through HonorHealth, the school's primary clinical affiliate. LaPorte explained that this will allow students access to a "whole continuum of care" such as world-class facilities across hospitals, urgent care centers, specialty clinics, private practices, including an innovation lab where to test and observe things.
Priya Radhakrishnan, vice dean for clinical affairs and chief academic officer for HonorHealth, said the partnership will let students progress from ASU pre-med to medical school and residency while remaining in state.
Shufeldt's gift will fund scholarships, loan relief and projects, which aim to ease costs for future doctors.
Shufeldt expressed excitement to support ASU Health after hearing the University's vision for the initiative.
"We'll have the best medical school in the world in short order, given what ASU has done in the past, the vision for the future and how ASU has impacted the lives of Arizonans ... I'm more than thrilled to be involved," Shufeldt said.
The new school plans to enroll its first class of 36 students in Fall 2026. During undergrad, students in the program will earn both a doctor of medicine and a master's in medical engineering.
Lisanby added that the enrollment is expected to grow in future years with the help of insights from the first cohort.
Gallego emphasized how the program will combine Phoenix's expertise in engineering and biosciences to advance innovation and strengthen the city's health care workforce.
"This program will really help the city of Phoenix move forward," she said. "We're thrilled by ASU Health, everything from public health to nursing, to the new physicians who we so desperately need. We will be a healthier city because of ASU Health."
Lisanby described the program as a way to train the "physician engineers of tomorrow," combining medical and technological expertise to tackle health care challenges. She emphasized that students can be a part of hands-on capstone projects alongside entrepreneurs, clinicians and engineers.
Graduates will also be eligible for all specialties, with a focus on primary care, applying a medical engineering skillset to improve health systems and expand access to care across Arizona.
"These students will be true trailblazers, the first generation of Sun Devil docs, shaping the future of medicine right here in Arizona," said Lisanby. "I am incredibly proud, not only of what we've accomplished together, but I'm even more excited for what lies ahead."
Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled a last name on three instances. The article was updated at 2:47 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2025.
Edited by Henry Smardo, Senna James and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at mmart533@asu.edu.
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MJ is a senior reporter. She previously worked as a part-time reporter for Sci-Tech.
