Dear Colleagues,
On June 24, something important happened in Springfield — not just a ribbon-cutting, but a milestone for Missouri.
We gathered at the Springfield campus with faculty, students, elected officials, local health system partners and community leaders to mark the continued growth of the University of Missouri School of Medicine’s role in southwest Missouri.
The room was full, and so was the sense of purpose. But why Springfield — and why now?
Making a Difference for Missouri
As I noted in my welcome address, this expansion is about responding to a need. Missouri continues to face physician shortages, especially in primary and rural care.
University of Missouri president Mun Choi reinforced that point: Our land-grant university serves the entire state, not just our flagship campus. What we do in Columbia needs to support Springfield and rural communities.
As Todd Graves — chair of the University of Missouri System Board of Curators — and Missouri state senator Lincoln Hough reminded us, our work is grounded in stewardship. The Springfield campus represents not only an investment of taxpayer dollars, but also a commitment to honoring the public trust and expanding Missourians’ access to care.
Partnerships Make it Possible
Some of the strongest messages of the afternoon came not from the stage, but from the community.
We heard from partners at organizations like CoxHealth, Mercy Springfield and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce about what the expansion means to them:
- A stronger workforce pipeline
- A deeper alignment between academic medicine and community care
- A shared investment in improving health outcomes across the region
Also in attendance were Missouri state representatives Bennie Cook, Stephanie Hein, Matthew Overcast, Bill Owen and Melanie Stinnett, as well as Missouri state senator Sandy Crawford, underscoring the campus’s statewide value.
Local officials on site included Springfield mayor Jeff Schrag and Greene County commissioners Bob Dixon and John C. Russell.
We are also grateful that staff from the offices of Missouri secretary of state Denny Hoskins, U.S. senator Josh Hawley and U.S. representatives Eric Burlison and Bob Onder were able to join us.
That is what academic medicine should be — collaborative, responsive and rooted in community.
Students’ Stories
Throughout the afternoon, one group whose stories added color to the event was our Mizzou School of Medicine students.
We heard from rising fourth-year medical student Nicole Walker, who shared her personal journey from Missouri State University undergraduate to Springfield campus student, highlighting the value of regional medical education.
Later, during the reception, I was impressed by a series of student presentations, covering everything from microplastics in cervical tissues to the impact of regional medical education on residency matching.
What’s Next for the Springfield Campus
With the ribbon-cutting behind us, we are looking forward to the Springfield campus operating as a full, four-year medical campus.
Students have already begun applying, and the first class of 32 first-year medical students will begin their training in summer 2027.
By the fall of 2030, the Springfield campus will have four classes of 32 students — 128 in total. Together with our Columbia campus, that will bring enrollment for the Mizzou School of Medicine to over 670 students.
With the help of the Springfield campus, we are making a meaningful dent in our state’s shortage of health care providers — and giving talented future medical students the opportunity to make a difference here in Missouri and beyond.
Sincerely,
Rick Barohn, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Hugh E. and Sarah D. Stephenson Dean, School of Medicine
rbarohn@health.missouri.edu
