The University of New England is moving its College of Osteopathic Medicine from Biddeford to Portland to bring all of its health professions programs together onto one campus. The relocation will allow the university to admit up to 40 more students per graduating class, an increase of 22%. UNE President James Herbert says the pandemic has fueled a 30% spike in applications to the College of Medicine and the demand is welcome. Herbert says moving the school of medicine is about providing care for more residents all over Maine,.
"This is a project we're doing in partnership with entities across the state...as we increase class size we have to be able to place students in training and clinical practice across the state and that's where the partnerships come into play," Herbert says.
UNE has received $30 million dollars in funding from the Harold Alfond Foundation and $5 million dollars in federal funding to build the new school of medicine. It is expected to open in Summer 2024.
