Wake Forest University School of Medicine is welcoming the Class of 2029 to its two campuses, including the inaugural class of four-year medical students to its new Charlotte campus at The Pearl innovation district. Previously the largest U.S. city without a four-year medical school, the arrival of this first class of students marks a transformative step in expanding access to medical education and advancing health care innovation across the Southeast and beyond.
The Class of 2029 at the Winston-Salem and Charlotte campuses will benefit from the School of Medicine’s over 120 years of history and experience in training future doctors.
Fully integrated with Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, the Charlotte campus curriculum takes a unique, problem-based approach to learning. It uses weekly clinical cases as springboards for students to learn foundational science and evaluate possible diagnoses, in addition to considering outside factors that may impact patient outcomes. The nearly 200 medical students across both campuses benefit from collaborative learning opportunities and access to extensive clinical and research resources available across Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system nationwide.
“This is a historic moment for Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the entire state,” said L. Ebony Boulware, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and chief science officer of Advocate Health. “Building on our prestigious work in Winston-Salem, this new campus reflects our commitment to training the next generation of physicians in a way that is collaborative, connected to the community and focused on the future. We’re leveraging immersive technologies and flexible learning environments to transform how we prepare doctors for the challenges of tomorrow.”
With an average age of 24, the inaugural four-year class comprises nearly 50 students — one-third of whom are from across North Carolina. Enrollment is expected to increase to 100 students per class over the next five years.
Meanwhile, the Winston-Salem campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine — which is welcoming almost 150 first-year students — continues to serve as a leading institution for medical education, research and patient care.
The new medical school in Charlotte anchors the Howard R. Levine Center for Education at The Pearl, a dynamic hub that is also home to the Carolinas College of Health Sciences, Wake Forest’s School of Professional Studies and the School of Business. The dual location of these schools creates a learning environment in which future physicians, nurses and allied health professionals will train alongside each other, preparing them to work as part of care teams caring for patients once they enter their professions.
Historically, about one-third of students at Wake Forest University School of Medicine stay in North Carolina after graduation, and most go on to practice near where they trained.
“Medical schools are essential for training physicians and growing the physician workforce,” said Roy E. Strowd III, M.D., vice dean for undergraduate medical education at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “This makes our two campuses incredibly valuable assets for our state. We are creating an environment where students can thrive academically and clinically, while also contributing meaningfully to the health of our communities.”
Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Charlotte campus is among the nation’s first medical schools to be built since the pandemic, which inspired large numbers of students nationwide to pursue health care careers. The campus features flexible classroom configurations and a curriculum that incorporates virtual immersive teaching, extended reality training, and other leading-edge technologies set to revolutionize medical education.
Wake Forest University School of Medicine serves as the academic core of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the country. The Charlotte campus strengthens this role by expanding the capacity to train physicians and drive innovation.
Media contact: Myra Wright, mgwright@wakehealth.edu