ASU medical school to be built in downtown Phoenix

PHOENIX — Arizona State University’s headquarters for health, including a new medical school, will be built in downtown Phoenix, officials announced Thursday.

The location and construction dates of the headquarters have not yet been determined.

In addition to ASU Health headquarters, there also will be two new schools: The School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering; and the School of Public Health Technology.

Plans to develop a medical school were previously announced in the spring after the Arizona Board of Regents requested for an expansion of medical education in the state.

Currently, the University of Arizona has the state’s only public medical school program. However, Northern Arizona University officials announced in September plans to open Flagstaff’s first medical school.

The medical school will teach medicine, biomedical science and engineering while tasked with addressing the growing health care needs of the state.

The public health technology school will work to advance ideas in education, research and innovation.

“At a time when the Phoenix bioscience industry is booming, and when the need for highly trained medical professionals is at an all-time high, it’s a big deal that ASU has chosen downtown Phoenix for their newest venture,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a press release.

“ASU’s commitment is a testament to the strong and productive partnership the city has fostered over the past two decades and speaks to the brighter, healthier future that we envision for Phoenix families.”

How is the ASU development good for Arizonans?

The need for an additional medical school in the state comes as officials say many health system performance indicators are doing worse compared to other states.

ASU President Michael Crow said the school will create technologically enhanced doctors that are capable of working across entire communities.

“We are very excited that all three of these things, the headquarters for ASU Health and two new schools, will be built in downtown Phoenix,” Crow said.

“The citizens of Phoenix have been an important investor in higher education, science technology and medicine in downtown Phoenix.”

Downtown Phoenix is already home to ASU’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, College of Health Solutions, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, and Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Follow @suelenrivera