Morgan State University is moving closer to establishing a public, nonprofit medical school after securing a $1.75 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The funding will support a two-year planning process aimed at creating Maryland’s first medical school operated by the state’s largest Historically Black College or University (HBCU).
The initiative comes at a critical time. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the U.S. could face a shortage of up to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034, a gap expected to fall hardest on underserved communities. Morgan leaders say the new school will help expand opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds and produce physicians who are more likely to work in those communities.
“This investment represents a pivotal moment for Morgan and for the communities we serve,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “For more than a decade, we have been committed to the idea that a medical school on our campus can be transformative — not only for our students but for the state of Maryland and the nation. With the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support, we are charting a new course toward a public, nonprofit M.D. program that will train physicians where they are most needed, close gaps in care and reflect the diversity of the populations served.”
The planned medical school represents a reimagined version of an earlier effort Morgan announced in 2020. While that project did not move forward, university officials continued refining their approach, consulting with health care leaders and policymakers to ensure the model would be sustainable. The new proposal envisions a publicly supported program offering M.D. degrees, which would give graduates broader professional recognition and expand access to federal and state funding.
To guide the effort, Morgan has established a Medical School Planning Group, which will use RWJF resources to develop the school’s governance, curriculum, and facilities plan. The university says its priority is to produce culturally competent physicians, bolster the state’s primary care workforce, and generate research focused on addressing health inequities.
Endia DeCordova, Morgan’s vice president for Institutional Advancement, emphasized the wider impact of the award. “The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support underscores the importance of strategic philanthropy in advancing bold ideas,” she said. “This funding will enable us to develop a sustainable, mission-driven model for medical education that aligns with our commitment to equity and access. We are grateful to RWJF for recognizing Morgan’s leadership and investing in the next generation of health care professionals.”
The grant reflects RWJF’s broader push to strengthen medical education at minority-serving institutions. While HBCUs represent just 3 percent of the nation’s medical schools, they are responsible for nearly 70 percent of Black physicians and dentists in the U.S. Morgan’s leaders say their effort aims to build on that legacy while helping address Maryland’s most pressing health care needs.
