New ASU medical school announces preliminary accreditation, generous naming gift

PHOENIX — Arizona State University’s fledgling medical school received preliminary accreditation and has a new name, the university announced Wednesday.

The program will be known as the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering after receiving a nine-figure naming gift from a generous alumnus.

Without revealing the exact amount, ASU said Dr. John Shufeldt’s gift is the second-largest in school history. The largest was a $115 million donation made by former Walmart chairman Rob Walton in September.

Shufeldt, who is board certified in emergency medicine and holds business and law degrees, is the founder of NextCare, MeMD and Tribal Health.

“For decades I’ve worked at the intersection of business, law and innovation. I’ve seen where the systems work from the inside, and where they don’t work,” he said in a press release. “From the inside, I’ve treated patients in overcrowded emergency departments, I built companies to address health care inequities, care in underserved areas and improve the efficiency and improve the patient experience.”

Shufeldt believes medical schools need to give the physicians they train a broader view of the medical field.

“What we do need is more physicians who can innovate, who are leaders, who can do it with a high degree of compassion. That’s why I’m so excited about the new school at ASU, because I know that’s what we’ll be teaching,” he said.

Why is preliminary accreditation important for ASU medical school?

Meanwhile, preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) clears the medical school to start recruiting students for its first class in August 2026.

“While it is something we expected, accreditation is not to be taken lightly. We are grateful to the LCME and to our team that has been working tirelessly to help make that happen,” ASU President Michael Crow said in the release.

The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering is the centerpiece of a wider initiative called ASU Health, which includes the School of Technology for Public Health and other programs.

The ASU Health headquarters will be built near Fifth and Fillmore streets in downtown Phoenix. Construction is expected to begin in spring of next year and be completed in 2028.

While the new campus is under construction, the medical school will be located at ASU’s Mercado complex near Seventh and Van Buren streets in Phoenix.

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