Proposed Medical School Construction Milestone Celebrated at Beam Signing Event

Just one year and a day after breaking ground on the D.M. Bowman Academic Hall, the future flagship building of the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, one hundred community leaders, elected officials and community organizations celebrated another milestone in the building’s construction by signing a steel beam.

“Steel is a core ingredient for this building – a strong foundation of support, which truly is symbolic of those who are signing it to celebrate this milestone,” said Meritus Health President and CEO, Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H. “The support for this project has been incredible – our community is absolutely playing a significant role in the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine’s progress.”

The Beam Signing event was attended by community leaders, local organizations, elected officials and donors who are supporting the capital costs of the new building, who have pledged a combined $11 Million dollars towards the project.

The building, now framed in steel, will be 200,000 square feet and house classrooms, learning and technology labs and a conference center. Construction is expected to be finished next December, roughly eight months before medical students would use the facility. The proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine is expected to welcome its first class of students in the fall of 2025. 

“Every day we are building this medical school,” said Joshi.  “We are building the curriculum, we are building community relationships, we are building our faculty and team, and of course we are building this building.”

Joshi said an inaugural dean, Dr. Paula Gregory, and four associate deans have been hired and are supporting the licensure and accreditation process.  As they continue to reach milestones, additional faculty and staff will be hired.