UNM building $636M medical school

The University of New Mexico said on May 22 that its planned $636 million School of Medicine building is on track to open in 2030 and to double the size of its incoming medical school class. The project would add a 350,000-square-foot facility at Lomas and University in Albuquerque, replacing Reginald Heber Fitz Hall, the school’s main building since 1967. UNM officials said the expansion is aimed at New Mexico’s physician shortage and would increase annual incoming students to 200 from 100. The university’s Health Sciences Center has described the project as part of a broader workforce expansion effort tied to new clinical space on campus. ### Why is UNM replacing its current medical school building? Reginald Heber Fitz Hall was built in 1967, and UNM officials said the existing facility no longer fits the scale of the school’s planned growth. The new building would sit on the northeast corner of Lomas Boulevard and University Boulevard Northeast and would become the main home for the School of Medicine. (abqjournal.com) UNM Health Sciences said the school needs new educational space because it is targeting roughly 800 medical students over the next decade and about 350 new clinical faculty as part of the expansion. The university said recent additions, including new clinics and the UNM Hospital Critical Care Tower, have expanded the clinical footprint needed to train more students, residents and fellows. (abqjournal.com) ### How much would the project cost, and where would the money come from? UNM has put the estimated cost at about $600 million on its workforce expansion page, while the Albuquerque Journal reported the current figure at $636 million on May 22. The university said it requested state funding in 2025 for planning and design and is seeking a mix of public funding and private philanthropy for the full project. (hscnews.unm.edu) Early in 2025, the New Mexico Legislature appropriated $30 million to begin planning and design, according to UNM Health Sciences news. A separate legislative request document had sought $37 million for plan and design work, indicating the project’s cost and scope were still being refined as the university moved into the next phase. (abqjournal.com) ### How does this connect to New Mexico’s doctor shortage? UNM officials said the point of the expansion is to train more doctors in a state with persistent workforce shortages. Dr. Michael Richards, UNM’s executive vice president for Health Sciences, said in a university report that investment in clinical space had created an opening to grow educational programs because physicians often practice in the communities where they trained. (hscnews.unm.edu) The Albuquerque Journal previously reported that the number of physicians in New Mexico declined 30% from 2017 to 2021 and that 40% of the state’s doctors were 60 or older and expected to retire by 2030, citing Think New Mexico. The same report said New Mexico had 831 residency and fellowship slots at the time, underscoring that medical school growth also depends on downstream training capacity. (hscnews.unm.edu) ### What would actually change for students? The clearest operational change is class size. UNM said the new facility is intended to raise the incoming class to 200 students a year from 100, which would sharply increase the number of students moving through the school over time. (abqjournal.com) UNM Health Sciences also said the building would expand student success and support services alongside teaching space. The university’s planning materials frame that as part of an effort to improve retention as enrollment grows. ### What happens next before the school opens? UNM said in 2026 it would work to secure funding for the facility through public sources and private philanthropy, with construction anticipated to begin by 2027. (abqjournal.com) The university’s stated target is to complete the building in time to welcome an expanded class in 2030. (hsc.unm.edu 1) (hsc.unm.edu 2)