America's first MD branch on tribal land to open in Arizona in 2027 with full scholarships
The University of Arizona and Gila River Health Care will launch the nation’s first MD-granting medical school branch on the lands of a sovereign Tribal Nation in Sacaton in 2027. Ten students will enter the three-year programme annually, receiving full tuition scholarships. The initiative aims to address physician shortages and improve healthcare access.
In a groundbreaking partnership, the University of Arizona's College of Medicine – Phoenix and Gila River Health Care (GRHC) will establish Arizona's first MD-granting medical school branch on Tribal land in Sacaton, Arizona, beginning July 2027. The three-year, full scholarship program aims to address critical physician shortages in Tribal, rural and underserved communities by training future physicians within a Tribal healthcare system.
The inaugural class of ten students will receive tuition-free education, with the Gila River Health Care system funding their education through August 2026. Following an initial 18-month foundation in Phoenix, students will relocate to Sacaton for the remaining 18 months of clinical training within GRHC. This unique arrangement will provide students with hands-on experience in Native communities while addressing physician shortages and improving access to care.
Gila River Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis emphasized the partnership as an opportunity to make medical education more accessible for young Native Americans, removing the need for them to leave their homes to pursue medical careers. The initiative also seeks to encourage more Native American students to pursue medicine, thereby strengthening Arizona's physician workforce.
The University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella highlighted that the program would develop physicians with a deep understanding of the communities they serve, fostering the long-term retention of healthcare professionals in underserved areas. In addition to the first-ever Tribal medical school branch, the partnership may expand to include primary care residency programs at GRHC, further supporting the sustainable development of the healthcare workforce in Native communities.
The initiative responds to the growing need for primary care physicians in Arizona, which currently ranks 42nd in the nation for primary care access. By placing students directly within a community-based healthcare system, the programme will not only train the next generation of physicians but also challenge traditional medical education models and promote a more culturally aware and locally rooted healthcare workforce.
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