ASU's New Medical School Earns Preliminary Accreditation, Receives Transformative Gift

John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering will begin recruiting inaugural class for 2026

PHOENIX, Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arizona State University's new medical school achieved two major milestones – receiving preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and a nine-figure naming gift, the second-largest in ASU's history. 

The school will be named the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering and, with accreditation, can now begin recruiting its first class of students for 2026.

"While accreditation was expected, it's a milestone achieved through the tireless work of our team," said ASU President Michael Crow. "Dr. John Shufeldt embodies the kind of innovator we aim to produce in our graduates — a physician, entrepreneur and forward-thinking leader contributing his time, talent and resources to help advance the future of health care."

Shufeldt, an emergency medicine physician and founder of NextCare, grew the company from one clinic into a 60-location network across six states. His gift also establishes an endowed professorship in medical entrepreneurship and a health-tech venture philanthropy fund, supporting innovators known as Xcellerant Ventures Founders.

"For decades I've worked at the intersection of business, law and medicine," said Shufeldt, who holds MD, JD, MBA, and FACEP credentials. "What we need are physicians who can innovate and lead with compassion. That's exactly what this school will produce."

The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, in partnership with its primary clinical affiliate HonorHealth, will train students to blend multiple disciplines – medicine, engineering, technology and humanities – to create a new kind of health care leader with a strong sense of innovation and problem-solving. Students will earn two degrees in four years, a MD and a Master of Science in Medical Engineering, and will be trained to use tools such as AI and data science to transform healthcare.

Founding Dean Holly Lisanby called the gift "transformative," noting that students will be "dually trained from day one in medical and engineering disciplines, learning alongside experts from clinical, engineering and entrepreneurial fields."

The Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering is part of ASU Health, which includes the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the College of Health Solutions, the new School of Technology for Public Health, and the ASU Health Observatory.

SOURCE Arizona State University - Media Relations